MadSci Network: Environment & Ecology
Query:

Subject: Genetically engineered plant produces fuel. What yield?

Date: Wed Apr 5 12:09:24 2000
Posted by Vernon Nord
Grade level: grad (science) School: No school entered.
City: Appleton State/Province: MN Country: USA
Area of science: Environment & Ecology
ID: 954954564.En
Message:

Genes that code for an oil, like soy bean oil, when introduced into a 
single cell plant, would produce a fuel suitable for vehicles.  How big of 
a "bio-solar collector" would I need for my vehicle?  I've heard that 
hydrogen is produced this way, but I don't like hydrogen as a fuel. It 
seems that ethanol produced from corn is wildly inefficient.  The corn 
only grows a few months out of the year, only the sugar is used, yeast are 
inefficient, and fuel is used to seperate the ethanol from the water, 
etc...  Could this single cell plant be made to secrete the oil, which 
would then seperate itself, from the growth medium(water)?  About how big 
would my personal fuel pond need to be?


Re: Genetically engineered plant produces fuel. What yield?

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