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Article

Title: UC Research to Focus on Biofuel from Plants

Author: Burress, Charles Article Type: Product Analysis
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, pB1(2) Publication Date: Feb 28, 2008
URL of Publication: http://www.sfgate.com

A University of California Berkeley scientist said that harnessing the energy that plants capture from the sun may be more efficient and economical than using solar panels to catch the suns energy. The head of the new Energy Biosciences Institute at Berkeley, funded by BP, noted that humans have been working on capturing the suns rays since Einstein discovered the photovoltaic effect 87 years ago to little effect. Extracting the sugars produced by plants to produce fuel may be more promising. Earlier, another UC Berkeley scientist argued that the costs of today's solar panels far outweigh the benefits. He notes that meeting the energy needs of the U.S. would require 46,000 square kilometers of photovoltaic solar panels. Only four square kilometers of such panels have been built worldwide. The Energy Biosciences Institute will not focus on producing ethanol from corn, but instead will investigate second- and third-generation beefaloes which have lower environmental costs to produce. The researchers hope to find ways to convert any waste plant material, even lawn clippings, into usable biofuel by finding new ways to break down cell fibers. The head of the Institute claims that all the worlds transportation fuel needs could be met by plants grown on just one percent of the earths surface.

Companies:
TecTerms University of California at Berkeley

Products:
Biofuels Innovation
Renewable Energy

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