Friday, February 8th, 2008

Biofuels

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A scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory tests ponds containing microalgae bred for high lipid (oil) content. Warren Gretz, NREL

When US politicians talk about biofuels, most of the time they are talking about ethanol made from fermenting corn. However, there are many other types of biofuels, including biodiesel from algae and cellulosic ethanol technology. In this hour, Ira and guests talk about various approaches to biofuels and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Two new studies published this week in the journal Science suggest that growing additional biofuel crops might actually increase the amount of carbon entering the atmosphere, especially if existing forests or grasslands need to be cleared for biofuel farming. Do the fuels make sense from an environmental -- and economic -- standpoint?


video courtesy Fields of Fuel / Solazyme

Guests

Dan Kammen
Class of 1935 Distinguished Professor of Energy
Energy and Resources Group
Goldman School of Public Policy
Department of Nuclear Engineering
Co-Director, Berkeley Institute of the Environment
Founding Director, Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California

David Tilman
Regents' Professor
McKnight Presidential Chair in Ecology
Director of Cedar Creek Natural History Area
Dept. of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
University of Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Harrison Dillon
President and Chief Technical Officer
Solazyme, Inc.
South San Francisco, California

Wes Bolsen
Chief Marketing Officer
Vice President of Business Development
Coskata, Inc.
Warrenville, Illinois

Related Links

Segment produced by:Annette Heist

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Image: NREL biotechnologist examines a flask of lipids (oils) produced by microalgae that can be converted into clean-burning biodiesel fuel
Warren Gretz, NREL

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