Energy

ASU scientists are taking green research to the blue skies. They are developing cost-effective biofuels that can be used to fly airplanes.

Researchers have cracked the genetic code of a bacterium that harvests far-red light by making a rare form of chlorophyll (chlorophyll d). The bacterium, Acaryochloris marina, uses light from a part of the spectrum that few other organisms can use. Understanding how it works could help drive advances in agriculture and bioenergy. --by Skip Derra

ASU researchers are using bacteria and sunlight to generate hydrogen, a clean fuel that produces no greenhouse gases. The biohydrogen project aims to harness the energy in sunlight using microbial photosynthesis to produce hydrogen. --by Skip Derra

Microbial fuel cell technology uses the tiniest organisms on the planet--bacteria--as a viable option to make electricity. By linking bacterial metabolism directly with electricity production, the MFC eliminates the extra steps necessary in other fuel cell technologies. --by Joe Caspermeyer

An ASU researcher has designed a special backpack that can produce an electrical charge through the force of the motion of its wearer. This "energy harvesting" can generate the power to charge batteries or run small electronic devices such as cell phones, iPods or flashlights. --by Joe Kullman

Where some people see slime, Milt Sommerfeld and his colleagues see fuel and food. They believe algae can provide solutions to some of the trickiest environmental problems looming right in front of us. --by Diane Boudreau

Frustrated by frequently losing battery power in your laptop computer, digital camera, or portable music player? Take heart. A better source of "juice" is in the works. --by Joe Caspermeyer

Cyanobacteria invented a perfect way to extract energy from the sun more than 2 billion years ago. Wim Vermaas thinks these busy bacteria would make an excellent biofuel. --by Diane Boudreau

Photosynthesis may hold the key to curing humans of their addiction to oil and other fossil fuels. --by Diane Boudreau