biofuels

When you've come across gadgets like NoPoPo's pee-powered battery, you shouldn't be surprised that a can of Coke is all that's needed to power this concept handset conjured up for Nokia by U.K. designer Daizi Zheng.

We're not convinced that the cylindrical design of the phone, which doubles as a tube you can drink from, will win hearts, but the idea does sound fitting for a tropical island. Even better if the chilling technology we wrote about recently can be incorporated. The designer didn't elaborate on the technicalities, although terms like sugary drink, … Read more

WASHINTON--Two U.S. senators pledged on Tuesday to take up legislation early next year to extend the biodiesel tax credit as it looks likely action will not be taken on it this year.

An industry group complained that if a bill was passed by Congress early next year to extend the credit, it would not be enough to stop plants from closing after the credit expires on December 31.

Sen. Max Baucus, a Democrat from Montana who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and the panel's top Republican, Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, said they would take up … Read more

PetroAlgae has signed a memorandum of understanding to license its proprietary technology for producing and harvesting algae for fuel to Indian Oil, the company announced this week.

The Melbourne, Fla.-based company has developed bioreactors and harvesting methods for converting algae grown in open-pond freshwater farms into biodiesel.

The first phase of its partnership with Indian Oil will involve building a test facility to see whether PetroAlgae's production method is scalable. Once that has proven to be successful, Indian Oil plans to build a commercial production facility that could produce 200,000 tpa (tonnes per annum) of biodiesel. That … Read more

Global biofuel use is expected to increase twofold by 2015 and Brazil will remain the world's top exporter of biofuel, according to a report released Wednesday by Hart Energy Consulting.

The U.S. is expected to see the largest increase in biofuel use per country, increasing its current consumption by more than 30 percent, according to data from the "Global Biofuels Outlook: 2009-2015" report.

The overall increased use of biofuel in many countries around the world will make a dent in the world's consumption of traditional gasoline, according to Hart.

"Global ethanol demand will represent … Read more

Howeler Yoon Architecture has proposed that an algae farm and vertical garden be erected at the old Filene's Basement site in Boston's Downtown Crossing.

The prefabricated design of interlocking pods containing algae-incubators on the inside and plants on the outside would be a temporary structure until the city of Boston, the site's owners, and the new owner of the bankrupt Filene's Basement chain agree on what to ultimately do with the historic Washington Street real estate.

But it's not just a one-off idea for the Filene's Basement spot.

Howeler Yoon, which is collaborating with … Read more

LiveFuels, an algae biofuel start-up, announced a pilot project on Thursday to grow and harvest algae biofuels in open waters with the help of naturally occurring activities in the ecosystem.

The approach is different than other attempts at algae biofuels, in which algae is grown and harvested in a closed environment.

The LiveFuels algae pilot farm, set to cover 45 acres of saltwater ponds in Brownsville, Texas, will consist of algae already native to the region.

Algae is known to bloom in salt water that has been polluted by the lakes, rivers, and streams that feed into it and are … Read more

Concerns over food crops are only one issue to overcome when it comes to biofuels. There's also a serious lack of infrastructure that will prevent the fuel alternative from becoming mainstream, according to a new report by Lux Research.

"The problem is that there aren't nearly enough filling stations and cars--nor will there be for decades--that are capable of using the fuel. Without changes downstream in the current distribution infrastructure and end-use, ethanol's growth will soon cease--even if it's given away for free," said Mark Bünger, a research director at Lux … Read more

Many car shows feature production vehicles of past and present. But at the Pacific Coast Dream Machine event in Half Moon Bay, Calif., the sky's the limit when it comes to determining which cars will be on display.

From custom cars to tricked-out trucks, and races involving little more than an engine on wheels, the event is a hit for any automotive enthusiast who subscribes to the "build it and they will come" business model. The 19th annual show took place on April 26.