Max Planck in 1901

Researchers have suggested yet another source for bio-fuel.  This time, it's Texan mosquite -- the tree that is perhaps best known for its ability to lend that smoky flavour to an old-fashioned southern barbecue.  The proposal is currently published in the journal Nature [1].  The amazing thing is not so much that this plant, too, holds energy that could potentially harvested -- we all know from our childhood days that lots of different plants burn when you dry them -- no, the amazing thing is that these proposals still create such a stir. So far, none of the biofuels come close to offering a competitive alternative to conventional fuels in automobiles, but stories of turning weeds into gold are just too pleasing to pass by.  Congress is of course no exception -- In its bid to make the United States more energy independent, it has made hundreds of millions of dollars available for biofuel research.  Yet the  alternative energy sources that are proven to work and do indeed promise to be competitive in -- namely wind, solar, and hydro -- are still being largely ignored, with research expenditures smaller as a fraction of the whole market than R&D on dog food.  Regardless, read the new Nature article -- and hope that America's decision makers from the land of the Bushes and Shrubs probably don't try to jump on the Mosquite as a reason to funnel more federal money to farmers wanting to cut down trees for more cattle.  

 [1] M. Hopkin, Cooking up a smoky solution, Nature 13 (2007) (link)

A team of researchers led by University of Delaware researchers Christiana Honsber and Allen Barnett announced this past week that they had demonstrated a new record for the energy conversion efficiency of solar cells.  Partners in the initial phase included BP Solar, Blue Square Energy, Energy Focus, Emcore and SAIC. Key research contributors included the University of Delaware, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Georgia Institute of Technology, Purdue University, University of Rochester, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California Santa Barbara, Optical Research Associates and the Australian National University. “What we've done,” he said, “is create a virtual lab by having all of these companies, universities and national laboratories in the consortium. This has given us access to a broad range of capabilities in terms of expertise and equipment.”