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WUSTL researchers demonstrate solar-panel-powered microbial electrosynthesis to produce n-butanol from light, CO2 and power

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A team of biologists and engineers modified Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1 (TIE-1) so that it can produce a biofuel using only three renewable and naturally abundant source ingredients: carbon dioxide, solar panel-generated electricity and light. We hope that it can be a steppingstone for future sustainable solar fuel production.

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To Store or Not to Store: That is the Question

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However, when peak demand is not required the inefficiencies of idling coal, nuclear and gas powered power plants has become both very uneconomic and non-responsive to changes in demand for today’s market. Supplementing baseload coal-, nuclear- and gas-powered power pants in a grid strategy for tomorrow. Click to enlarge.

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Ford Europe leading project investigating DME and OME1 as low carbon, near zero particulate fuels; power-to-liquids pathways using CO2

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The German government is co-funding the three-year project that will test the first cars to run on dimethyl ether (DME) ( earlier post ), commonly used as a non-toxic propellant in aerosol spray gas, and monooxymethylene ether (OME1). Like liquefied petroleum gas, DME must be stored in a slightly pressurized tank.

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Jülich evaluation of power-to-fuels recommends DME, OME3-5 and n-alkanes as diesel substitutes

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Exhaust gas values were also greatly improved by the use of electrofuels. Since the tests of engine efficiency and exhaust gas values of all sources reviewed were conducted in test engines that had not been optimized for the used fuel, further potentials regarding emission reduction and the optimization of engine efficiency are expected.

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