Monday, August 11, 2008 - 1:00 PM
S38
Bio-solutions to the petroleum problem in the USA
Arnold L. Demain, Research Institute for Scientists Emeriti (R.I.S.E.), Drew University, 36 Madison Ave., Madison, NJ 07940
We have a severe problem in the USA concerning energy due to our great dependence on petroleum. With a cartel running the international availability of petroleum, the price for gasoline at the pump has skyrocketed to an extremely high level with no end in sight. The USA has 5% of the world's population, but only 2% of global petroleum production; more importantly, it consumes 25 % of the world's petroleum supply. Industrial microbiology must come to the rescue. It offers a number of solutions including the production of ethanol, butanol, other alcohols, biodiesel, hydrocarbons, methane, methanol, hydrogen as well as electricity via fuel cells. However, there must be a shift away from use of food crops like corn to those of cellulosic biomass and waste materials. With USA government agencies offering financial assistance, and partnerships being established between biotechnology organizations and oil companies, the bio-solutions will come, but will take time. Time is of the essence, however.
See more of Advances in Fermentation Technology
See more of Invited Oral Papers
See more of The Annual Meeting and Exhibition 2008 (August 10 - 14, 2008)
See more of Invited Oral Papers
See more of The Annual Meeting and Exhibition 2008 (August 10 - 14, 2008)