Reduce global greenhouse gas emissions

Did you know that it is possible for you to fill up your vehicle with a fuel that is 100 percent derived from coal-fired power plant emissions? Furthermore, as your vehicle burns the fuel, the carbon dioxide emissions can be converted into more fuel via an onboard carbon-capturing and fuel synthesis system. Talk about fuel efficiency!

This is the future that Joule (http://www.jouleunlimited.com/) is working toward. They use genetically engineered bacteria to produce fuel directly from virtually any carbon source. However, unlike current biofuel production processes, there is no biomass to harvest. You just feed the carbon source to the bacteria, then they use sunlight to convert it into a fuel. The fuel is then extracted and can be distributed through our current liquid fuel infrastructure.

The U.S. dirty dozen power plants emit more than 220 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. By employing the Joule platform, they can convert this problem into a salable product or burn it in their own boilers. This would take a huge bite out of global greenhouse gas emissions. Think of all the jobs that could be created if all American power plants added liquid fuel production to their operations.

Now look at the automotive industry. With an onboard carbon-capturing and fuel synthesis system, American automakers can raise the bar further in terms of fuel efficiency.

Don White

Member,Iowa Renewable Energy Association board

Cedar Rapids