Joule hail a landmark in industrial bioprocessing

Biotechnology company Joule Unlimited have created a new biofuel process that it claims could "change the world" of renewable fuel production, simply by using the sun, it has been reported by OilPrice.com.

Joule Unlimited have engineered technology that turns sunlight, saline water and carbon dioxide into refinery-ready ethanol and diesel, producing diesel from the same process that makes plants grow. The genetically-engineered organism can be manipulated to produce renewable fuels on a mass scale, which sells at a mere $30 per barrel (£20).

Creating renewable fuels at sufficient levels and at a suitable cost has been a significant challenge for the biofuel industry, with international airliner Lufthansa recently putting a halt to its biofuel use over supply issues. However, Joule's cyonabacteria has shown to be a very efficient resource, as it can consume carbon dioxide waste through photosynthesis, which has been found to be a superior platform technology for direct, renewable fuel production.

Sapphire Energy Incorporated has also attracted a great deal of attention over its efforts to extract 'green crude' from algae as a substitute for gasoline. The company look to develop the fuel for ground and air transportation on a mass scale.

Posted by Claire Manning