fuel

Joule Biotechnologies Figures Out How to Make Fuel From Air

BY Ariel SchwartzTue Nov 10, 2009 at 5:08 PM

It seems impossible, but biofuel startup Joule Biotechnologies claims that it has successfully produced fuel out of thin air--sort of. The company's mysterious engineered microbes require just sunlight and CO2 to squirt out ethanol, ...READ»

ABANDONED MINES | Comment

Abandoned Mines: The New Algae-Harvesting Powerhouses?

BY Ariel SchwartzFri Nov 6, 2009 at 5:06 PM

Algae is one of the hottest new biofuel materials, with over a dozen companies attempting to make the slimy stuff a viable feedstock. Most of them rely on the natural simplicity of the organism--sun and water turn CO2 from algae ...READ»

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES | 3 comments

How Sustainable Is Southwest's "Green Plane"?

BY Ariel SchwartzThu Oct 22, 2009 at 2:40 PM

Southwest Airlines announced recently that it is launching a prototype "green plane," a Boeing 737 tweaked to include environmentally responsible materials and cut down on fuel use. It's a nice idea, but is it an honest effort or ...READ»

COSKATA | Comment

GM-Backed Coskata Breaks Ground on Feedstock-Flexible Ethanol Facility

BY Ariel SchwartzMon Oct 19, 2009 at 11:54 AM

What if we could quickly and cheaply make ethanol using any cellulosic feedstock, including wood chips and construction waste? That's exactly what Coskata claims it can do with its new semi-commercial flex ethanol facility, launched ...READ»

DECANO | 2 comments

Smart Speed Bumps Punish You for Speeding

BY Ariel SchwartzThu Oct 15, 2009 at 5:53 PM

Speed bumps can be hard on old cars (and on sleeping passengers). The bumps are especially popular in Mexico, where rampant police corruption means that many speeders get off scot-free. At the same time, speed bumps have the ...READ»

BUS | Comment

How a Simple Design Tweak Could Save Fuel and Keep Bus Passengers Cool

BY Ariel SchwartzTue Jul 21, 2009 at 4:13 PM

It's virtually impossible to ride around on a public bus during the summer without having someone crack open a few windows. At the same time, open windows--and air conditioning, which is present on less than 5% of inter-city vehicles ...READ»

HONDA | 3 comments

The Real American Auto Industry

BY Terry TamminenMon Jun 1, 2009 at 6:43 PM

As crocodile tears are shed for GM and its now penny shares of stock, commentators are also mourning the demise of the American auto industry. While I also regret the loss of jobs at the former “Big Three”, the truth is that the American auto industry is alive and well - - we’ve just been looking in the wrong place.READ»

VOLVE ELECTRIC | Comment

Volvo Launching Plug-In Hybrid With a Twist: Diesel Power

BY Ariel SchwartzMon Jun 1, 2009 at 1:31 PM

The Big Three automobile makers have all announced plans to release plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) in the coming years, but Volvo's PHEV plan is a first--the Ford-owned brand is working on the world's only diesel hybrid ...READ»

GENIFUEL | Comment

Genifuel Develops Process to Turn Algae Into Natural Gas, Not Biofuel

BY Ariel SchwartzWed May 6, 2009 at 3:42 PM

A number of companies--Sapphire Energy, Solazyme, and Bionavitas to name a few--are working on methods to convert algae into biofuel. But Genifuel wants to turn the pond scum into something different: natural gas. The company, ...READ»

NUCLEAR FUSION | Comment

Helion Energy Asks, Can We Get $20 Million For a Full-Scale Nuclear Fusion Engine?

BY Ariel SchwartzFri Apr 24, 2009 at 3:10 PM

Nuclear fusion has long been the holy grail of energy--massive amounts of carbon-neutral energy combined with waste that is radioactive for a relatively short 50-to-70 years. In comparison, nuclear fission produces waste that ...READ»

ETHANOL | Comment

California's Low-Carbon Fuel Rule: A Boon for Alternative Fuels?

BY Ariel SchwartzFri Apr 24, 2009 at 12:41 PM

California passed the country's first low-carbon fuel standard law yesterday, with a goal of cutting carbon emissions 10% by 2020. The allowable carbon intensity of fuels will lower incrementally beginning in 2011. As a result, ...READ»

ANDREW TUITE | Comment

San Francisco's $8 Million Green Ferry Casts Off

BY Michal Lev-RamWed Mar 4, 2009 at 8:39 PM

We've all seen hybrid cars and lower emissions buses. But what about an environmentally friendly ferryboat? The San Francisco Bay Area recently unveiled the first in a new fleet of 149 passenger "green" ferries that ...READ»

BATTERIES | Comment

Why The Reign of Conventional Batteries Is Nearly Over

BY Kit EatonFri Dec 12, 2008 at 7:28 AM

As usual this holiday season millions of kids will be opening gifts that a caring parent must crack open immediately to jam in batteries before the playing can begin. Since its invention in 1800 as the "Voltaic pile" by Alessandro ...READ»

Sponsored Links