Genomics & Biofuels

Once upon a time, everyone thought they could use up all of the resources in the world and still have their smart phones work. And no matter how you might feel about Al Gore and his environmental crusade, you have to admit that oil prices are looking awful and it would be a much better idea to grow your own fuel. Well, even if you look like a hippie, at least it will be cheaper and you can fill up your SUV as many times as possible. To answer the question of how you can grow your own fuel (without looking like an eco-freak), genomics and biofuels are areas with which you need to become familiar.

Yes, Plants are Fuel Too

While you might not remember this (from the good old days, you see), plants have been used for fuel in the past – and they’re being used now. Think about it: wood. Wood is still being used to heat homes in the winter and it used to be put into other machines to create motion. Today, there are new biofuels that want to become the next fuel. You can use fuel pellets, for example, that can fuel up a wood burning stove or a newer biofuel stove. And that ethanol that you’ve been seeing at the gas pump? That’s actually derived from corn, so it’s also earth friendlier, even if it’s still being mixed with petroleum, like gas always has been.

Plants provide a good source of fuel because they are collectors of energy from the sun. Within their cells, the process of photosynthesis requires that the sun’s energy be turned into fuel for growth and health of the plant. And now, humans can take this energy and turn it into fuel. What a crazy idea that just might work. Well, it is working. How about that?

Training Plants to be Fuel

When you’re looking at the idea of genomics, what you’re actually learning more about is the idea that we can genetically alter plants to be more effective resources for fuel than they have been in the past. And though this might sound like mad science to some, we already use genetic testing and study genes in relation to new pregnancies. By looking at the genes of plants and deciding how to grow them to have the possible fuel result, we’re just helping the world out. Saving the world takes a bit of science it seems, maybe even mad science.

Genomics may not be something that you think about, but biofuels certainly seem to be more conversation-worthy these days. Even though you might not believe the world is changing because of the way humans have treated it (ahem), what you will want to look at is the rising gas prices and the lower gas supplies. Maybe biofuels aren’t that strange of a concept. In fact, they might just save you too. From cold weather, at least.