Fuel Can
Be Made From Fruits .
United States
scientists have said that the sugar found in fruits such as apples and oranges can be converted to a new type of low-
carbon fuel for cars.
The scientists, who wrote in the journal Nature, said fuel made from fructose contains far more energy than ethanol.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists said that fructose can be obtained directly from fruits and plants or made from glucose, but added that more work needs to be done to assess the environment impact of this new fuel.
Meanwhile, in Britain, researchers say tha a technology now exist to create biodieselnot just from palm oil but from a range of materials including wood, weeds and plastic bags.
This process is called biomass to liquid and experts say that within six years up to 30 percent of Britain''s diesel requirements could be met from this source.
Jeremy Tomkinson, of UK''s National Non-Food crops Centre, said this next generation of biofuels could meet many needs beyond powering cars.
The impact on society we''re hoping will be far wider than simply ''we can give you a fuel now with a tenfold reduction in its carbon footprint''. Imagine now if chemicals we use in the chemical industry also came from the same feedstock; and the aircraft we fly to New York also run on this? there''s the big potential" he said.
The biggest drawback is cost. Setting up new production facilities is estimated to be 10 times higher than current biofuel refineries.