Scientists Create Renewable Fossil Fuel Alternative Using Bacteria

   Carbon based fossil fuels have been one of the primary factors in our advancement as a society. However, the inevitable truth is the rate of consumption far outpaces the rate of replenishment, and we are in a rapid downwards spiral towards the depletion of all fossil fuels. Many, if not all, consumers are aware of this fact, and some make an effort to do their part in reducing their use, but it takes a special kind of person, a certain group of scientists, to make a world changing discovery in the field of renewable energy. A team of microbiological chemists have manipulated the metabolic pathway in which Escherichia coli produces cell membranes from fatty acids to instead create renewable propane fuel. By using specific enzymes to catalyze biological changes in the E. coli, the cells will produce a propane gas, which is then captured, and condensed into a liquid state for easy accessibility. This discovery is just the beginning, as the same method can be used to produce many other fuels, such as gasoline, diesel, and even jet fuel. The plans for the future include implementing this process in photosynthetic organisms so as to produce the fuel directly from solar energy. The system is in early stages, however, and may take up to a decade to further understand and commercialize the production of these fuels.

http://phys.org/news/2014-09-scientists-renewable-fossil-fuel-alternative.html

Submitted by Thomas Olson