Scientists create bacteria that eat waste and produce crude oil

[kevthebassman]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article4133668.ece

..........To be more precise: the genetic alteration of bugs – very, very small ones – so that when they feed on agricultural waste such as woodchips or wheat straw, they do something extraordinary. They excrete crude oil.

Unbelievably, this is not science fiction. Mr Pal holds up a small beaker of bug excretion that could, theoretically, be poured into the tank of the giant Lexus SUV next to us. Not that Mr Pal is willing to risk it just yet. He gives it a month before the first vehicle is filled up on what he calls “renewable petroleum”. After that, he grins, “it’s a brave new world”............

Simply amazing the things modern science can do.  If this holds up, it could be the salvation of the American way of life and avert many of the major problems we're likely to see in the next century.

The best part is that these bacteria are "carbon negative," meaning that they pull more CO2 out of the air than we can put in by burning their waste.  One less thing for the enviro-nazis to complain about.

[beemanbeme]

Sounds like a lot of crap to me.   (I am really, really sorry.  I just couldn't help myself. A fellow only gets a straightline opportunity like that once or twice in a life time.) 

[gypsyman]

I seen a report on this not to long ago. Probably one of the better idea's out there. According to the article, the area the size of Chicago could make enough''crude'' to fulfill the need of the entire U.S. I say, build a wall, and fill 'er up!! ''Don't tell Mayor Daley what were doing untill it's full. Then we could do San Fransisco on the west coast, New York on the other, then we could start exporting it.
In all honesty, I think it would be a great idea. If you've ever ''lit a fart'', or caught sugar on fire, there is a potential for energy there.  gypsyman

[rex6666]

YEAH GOOD DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next thing you will hear is a major oil co. has bought the rites to the bugs.
next you will hear GONE, OVER, DON'T WORK Elvis has left the building.

[Matt]

Well seeing as how Japan already has a car that runs on water I see not reason to use the fossil fuels.

Matt

[kevthebassman]

The only thing about the car that "runs on water" is that the water must be broken down into Hydrogen and Oxygen through electrolysis, which requires electricity, the hydrogen bottled, then burned.  The result is water vapor.

These "bugs," if the article is true and these scientists are really on to something, crap pure crude oil.  That means no having to put a Hydrogen station on every corner, no need to convert every old clunker out there..... it'll save a whole lot of money and we can keep driving our same cars.

[rex6666]

What happens when these bugs over populate, get loose, crap in the river, on the (green) grass
in the woods? I can see it now.

[Matt3357]

Well there is the slight chance that the super oil pooping waste eating C02 sucking bacteria might find sustenance outside of a laboratory and run rampant about the earth polluting the soil and the water that we drink....maybe a slight oversight.  About that car that runs on water, the only way a technology could be feasible to be introduced within the next 10 to 20 years is if it either is a completely self contained unit that runs off of energy every person has access to (ie: water, electricity...) or a different source of oil (or alternative) that is at least carbon neutral.  The "water" car you are referring to involves the hydrogen being separated from the 02 before it is installed in a car.  I understand that this is for power to weight, Hydrogen is way lighter than water obviously, but by containing the 02 as well as the hydrogen, you solve a couple of problems.  1st all you need is a garden hose to fill up your tank, lots of water everywhere.  2nd no need for a special hydrogen fuel cell of the proportions that they are researching, only a small reserve is needed since you do the electrolysis as you need it.  3rd the o2 you produce could be used to enhance the burning of the hydrogen increasing the amount of power and "mpg". 4th and the best, it is completely carbon neutral except for the amount of energy it takes to produce the car.  Now I wonder if you could use salt water since you separate the Hydrogen from the o2 and dispose of the salt..... maybe I'm just dreaming. Oh yeah and also about the large hydrogen fuel cell, without it you don't have the worry of an H-Bomb strapped to the belly of the car.  You also wouldn't have to worry about gas spillage in a car wreck, what are you going to do rinse all the water off the highway with.....water???

[ironglow]

  Build a wall around the Congress and turn 'em loose..we will have plenty of oil...there is plenty of crap there..

[deltecs]

The only thing about the car that "runs on water" is that the water must be broken down into Hydrogen and Oxygen through electrolysis, which requires electricity, the hydrogen bottled, then burned.  The result is water vapor.

These "bugs," if the article is true and these scientists are really on to something, crap pure crude oil.  That means no having to put a Hydrogen station on every corner, no need to convert every old clunker out there..... it'll save a whole lot of money and we can keep driving our same cars.

Matt is correct, a different type of fuel cell powered car was debuted in Osaka that runs on water only.  The generator powered by forward motion breaks down the water molecule and then recombines the Hydrogen with the atmosphere for the oxygen.  The fuel cell does not require the Hydorgen to be tanked or compressed before use.  It does not have to be bottled under pressure as your post suggests.  A technological electrical membrane is constructed between the plates which assists in separating the Hydrogen from water with much less electricy than previous fuel cell design.  As fas as the bacteria producing crude oil is true but may not be as effecient as projected upon further testing. 

[kevthebassman]

I'm not quite sure how the fuel cell car would work if all you fueled it with was water.  Water it's self doesn't store the energy, it's simply carrying the hydrogen.  To get the hydrogen out, you have to zap it with electricity.  Unless this car has to also be plugged in, I don't see how it could possibly be efficient enough to live up to our expectations.  But then again, I'm not a doctor, I just play one on TV.

Still if these bacteria can produce crud oil from agricultural and yard waste, we won't have to make any change in what we drive or the way we refine crude into gasoline.  IF they work as advertised, it will be a truly magnificent thing.

[Tennessee.Traveler]

For the most part the hydrogen fuel cell is way beyond my ability to comprehend.  That said, from what I have read, the oxygen comes from the air and the hydrogen is stored in a tank in the car.  Combustion between hydrogen and oxygen is triggered by electricity supplied by lithium batteries like those used to power cell phones and laptop computers.  When the process completes, energy is released and the byproduct is H₂O.  I'm assuming that the energy is in the form of electricity.  Ask Honda how it works or lease their new model at $600.00 per month for 36 months.

Right now the only two drawbacks are (1) no hydrogen fill stations (there were no gas stations when Henry Ford produced the first model T) and (2) the lithium batteries are subject to catching fire!

This algae deal exists in theory and practice but is not economical as yet - see "http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/biodiesel_from_algae.pdf

It is a way to generate biomass to be used in making bio-diesel.  It would be a substitute for diesel fuel not gasoline.

Already stealing french fry grease is an increasing crime problem as bioconversion becomes more common.

The days of free grease is over.  My money is on "converting diesel engines to run on straight veggie oil"  Why buy new or used grease and convert it to biodiesel every time the tank runs out when you can have a one time engine conversion expense and then run Crisco, canola oil, Mazola or whatever is handy.  If you buy the biofuel from a dealer you won't be saving enough to be worthwhile.

My wife convinced me that I was crazy when I got the bio bug back when diesel hit $1.20 per gallon!

All I can do at this point is say, "I told you!"  That don't cut it when diesel is $4.59 / gal.

Most of the savings now are in home brew jobs that carries no tax..  When all is said and done, the government will find new ways to tax you so you still won't save anything.

[Matt]

here is the car I was talking about.




The Genepax car that runs on water.

Fed up with recent fuel increases? Want to give middle eastern oil the middle finger?

A Japanese company has invented an electric-powered, and environmentally friendly, car that it says runs solely on water.
Genepax unveiled the car in the city of Osaka on Thursday, saying that a litre of any kind of water - rain, river or sea - was all that was needed to get the engine going for about an hour at a speed of 80 km. "The car will continue to run as long as you have a bottle of water to top up from time to time."
Genepax CEO Kiyoshi Hirasawa told local broadcaster TV Tokyo. "It does not require you to build up an infrastructure to recharge your batteries, which is usually the case for most electric cars." Once the water is poured into the tank at the back of the car, the a generator breaks it down and uses it to create electrical power, TV Tokyo said. Whether the car makes it into showrooms remains to be seen.
Genepax said it had just applied for a patent and is hoping to collaborate with Japanese auto manufacturers in the future.

http://www.genepax.co.jp/en/