If you ever found yourself driving through the desert gazing at the vast expanse of desolate landscape wondering what could possibly be created there (besides Las Vegas), look no further because some desert-loving scientists are working on some pretty cool stuff. Researchers from Arizona State University are currently developing a biofuel that is derived from photosynthetic bacteria and is not only sustainable, but easy to make. Jump for more info

Scientists have been burning the midnight oil as of late in an attempt to develop new sources of alternative energy. Previous petrol substitutes included corn-based ethanol (ultra-FAIL) and bio diesel (nobody likes their car smelling like french fries), both of which have their drawbacks. However, after checking out some of the literature put forth by the team led by Dr. Neal Woodbury and Bruce Rittmann, I am pretty excited to see this energy source develop. I am certainly no scientist but I will do my best to explain the process they have developed. The breakdown is as follows:

The bacteria are grown in plastic tubes that need only be exposed to significant levels of sunlight. Since the bacteria do not require fertilizer or a large amount of water to thrive, they can be grown in any climate that provides the necessary sunlight (basically anywhere from desert to urban rooftops) and do not compete with food crops for field space. A significant advantage the bacteria has over other current sources of planet-saving fuels is the rate at which they grow. According to researchers at ASU, the bacteria can double in quantity in 24-48 hours, much more rapidly than any plant can grow. In addition to the minimal growth time, the bacteria has a lipid concentration that is up to 72 times greater than other oil-producing plants such as sunflowers or soybeans that are currently being developed as sources of biofuel. For those that didn’t know (myself included), lipid concentration is important when making biofuel; the higher the lipid concentration, the higher the yield per volume of the fuel. And speaking of yield per volume, project leaders claim that their fuel will boast a yield per volume that is 100 times greater than current fuels.

The team at ASU is working hard to develop this process further and is currently addressing the issues coming forth from scaling up the production from laboratory to a 2.5 acre plot in the Arizona desert. For more on the project check out the link right here.