How Bugs (Yes, Bugs) May Make High Priced Oil a Thing of the Past

Did you ever think that microscopic bugs could present an alternative to drilling for oil, and what that might mean for all sectors of the world economy, especially transportation, design and manufacturing?  To create that alternative, with the help of funding from venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, LS9, an industrial biotech firm in South San Francisco, CA, has been developing a line of patent-pending biofuels through the process of synthetic biology.  The process involves using genetically modified (and non pathogenic) strains of e. coli, which are essentially “fed” various kinds of “feedstock” (wheat straw, wood chips, etc), resulting in a fermentation process that yields a fuel virtually ready for a gas pump.  In that it doesn’t require a fuel-intensive distillation process, it is much more efficient than the process used to produce ethanol.  LS9 believes that they are about one month away from being able to use the fuel as traditional gasoline would be, such as in a car’s gasoline tank, or to power a manufacturing plant, and they plan to have a demonstration-scale plant open by 2010 and a commercial-scale plant open by 2011, which may incorporate Brazilian sugar cane for feedstock.

There is no doubt that the efforts of LS9 and other firms like it, represent a positive step in ending our dependence on traditionally sourced foreign (and domestic, think ANWR) oil, especially as oil prices remain so high.   However, like corn-based biomaterials, bio fuels also have their challenges, such as the emissions they create when burned, and that the scale of production required to meet even domestic fuel demand is so great - some say a plant the size of the City of Chicago!  But perhaps considering the way Silicon Valley works, and how many firms have become strongly devoted to alt fuel and clean tech initiatives, it may not be too long before an entrepreneur develops some sort of  emissions-free biofuel that can be produced at facilities tethered to municipal waste treatment plants.  Although that may be just a concept today, when achieved, it would help create a truly “sustainable” alternative to traditional petroleum, and thus decrease the overall environmental impact of the global economy.

Some great resources for further information:

LS9’s Renewable Petroleum™ Technology

Khosla Ventures

Clean Edge 

Come See the VW Tiguan in San Francisco Tomorrow!

On Thursday, June 12, Volkswagen will host an exclusive media preview to showcase the latest innovations toward environmental sustainability. The event is the debut for the Tiguan HyMotion, the company’s first fuel cell hybrid compact SUV concept vehicle, powered by a zero emission electric motor.  Those attending the event will have a rare opportunity to view and test drive the HyMotion prototype, one of only two hydrogen powered compact SUV’s in the world.  As an added bonus, Volkswagen’s new “Clean Diesel” Jetta will also be available to test drive.  This sounds like a great opportunity to check out Volkswagen’s efforts to develop their own line of fuel efficient vehicles!

*If you are interested, RSVP to lzantop@mww.com

Thursday, June 12 2008
12-1 PM (Lunch)
1-4 PM (Press conference, demonstration, Q&A, test drive)

W Hotel
181 3rd Street
San Francisco, CA

The Speed of Sustainability: Milan

Although I was not entirely impressed by the sustainability, greenergy design, and ecomade exhibitions at the Milan Furniture fair, I must say that the city does have a few things in order. Their public transportation is fantastic.  They have a subway spread out across the entire city, and if they dont run close enough to home there are also busses and trams that run frequently all over the streets. In addition to public transit, those who do drive love their small cars. Although in most cases its an economical decision, they still see no need for the excessive Hummer-style consumerism.  It is rare to see a luxery sedan let alone a SUV!

One of the most exciting things I stumbled upon was an installation of a glorified MiniCooper. It was placed inside a chamber of woven plastic cords with serene music playing and was guarded by some very friendly cops. We had to pose and take some photos.



The other car that they love is the Smart Car. Now, I may sound silly because I haven’t been to Europe since the release of the Smart Car, but they are everywhere! I think it is wonderful. People of all shapes and sizes fit into these little things to transport themselves and a partner across town. “Why use more when this is all we need?” said one driver to me.



Finally this is a photo of a favorite of mine- a new little Fiat. Que Bella (the car, not me of course)!

Red Caboose Motel in Strasburg Pennsylvania

Called a “caboose” in America and a “brake van” or “guard’s van” in the UK, the iconic train car has drastically declined in its use over the years with only small railroads using them at times. The first known appearance of a railroad caboose was around 1860 and its first use in the United States followed much later. The word is known to be derived from French, with 18th century records mentioning a “cambose” or “camboose”, describing the cabin on a ship’s deck where food was prepared. Some rail yards are reusing cabooses as maintenance cars, or as “survey trains” after natural disasters to inspect rail lines for damage. Others such as the Red Caboose Motel and Restaurant, are using the cars to create motels, inns and even diners. The Red Caboose was started in 1969 when a man by the name of Don Denlinger was dared to bid on 19 cabooses being auctioned by the Pennsylvania Rail Road. Although Don placed a bid well below the scrap value of the cabooses, he won with the highest bid and found himself at the end of the day with all of the train cars and no idea what to do with them. After mulling over his winnings for some time, he developed the concept of using the decommissioned cabooses to create a motel. Now owned by Larry Demarco, “what started off as a dare has grown into one of Lancaster County’s most unusual motel, with over 40 rooms made from fully restored 25-ton cabooses.”

Segway Shows Their Green Side

For consumers who bought a Segway PT in 2007, Segway is offering to purchase renewable energy credits on their behalf to replace the electricity used in one year when charging the vehicle. For very frequent users they estimate the usage to be around 200 kilowatt hours (kWh). The credits are advertised to be supporting renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and geothermal power.

“As a leader in two-wheeled electric mobility, it’s always been Segway’s vision to produce environmentally friendly short-distance transportation alternatives. Today, more and more people are using the Segway PT as an eco-friendly alternative for many of the short journeys that are typically made by car. In fact, The EPA estimates that Americans take 900 million car journeys every day, but did you know that half of these trips are less than five miles long and are by solo drivers?”

We could not find any immediate information about recycled content used to make the product or buyback programs for recycling. There was also no information available about the batteries or PVC content used for wire coating material or other parts in the device. All this aside though, politically, getting the device to the public has been nothing short of a challenge for Dean Kamen. In the UK, Segways have been banned on both the streets and sidewalks. The British Department of Transport has invoked the Highway Act of 1835, keeping this efficient and clean mode of transport off of the streets. It’s now limited for use only on private property in Great Britain.

Daily GreenBoard

Check This Out!

Offering some blue sky inspiration for the transportation industry, this particular bad boy is called “the Animaris Rhinoceros Transport”. It was conceived of and designed by Theo Jansen, an artist who creates what he calls “Animari”. They are best described as large, multi-legged creatures that come alive when hit with wind. See more of his work here…

Daily GreenBoard