Successful ethanol: It's all up to the bugs?

I was watching some oil experts forecast the future costs of gasoline. A new study shows that overall gas prices have dropped 3 cents recently, however, many analysts say this is just the calm before the storm.

One unexpected reason for higher gasoline costs is ethanol. Because more ethanol is now required to be mixed into gasoline, the cost of gasoline is expected to rise because ethanol is expensive.

How can that be? Isn't ethanol a key to America's energy independence?

Bring in the bugs

While President Bush, GM and Ford have been on the ethanol bandwagon, there are still many obstacles to a successful ethanol program in the U.S., and that's where the bugs come into play.

"Researchers are now exploring various ways to exploit microbes, the one-cell creatures that serve as the first link of life's food chain. One company uses the microbe itself to make ethanol. Others are taking the genes that make the waste-to-fuel enzymes and splicing them into common bacteria. What's more, a new breed of "synthetic biologists" are trying to produce the necessary enzymes by creating entirely new life forms through DNA." (AP Via Yahoo)

Such "cellulosic ethanol" opens up the types of materials that can be converted into ethanol, which could significantly bring down costs.

Soon making fuel for your car could be as easy as making beer. Cheers!