TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Arizona State University will partner with BP on renewable biofuel.
ASU, along with BP and Science Foundation Arizona, plan to work together to develop a renewable source of biofuel.
The research effort focuses on using special photosynthetic bacteria to produce biodiesel, a sustainable, high-energy fuel for use in conventional engines.
"This project illustrates the type of high impact research that is possible when state, industry and academic leaders converge on an urgent societal problem," said George Poste, director of the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. "We are delighted to be part of an international research effort with BP and SFAz to reduce our transportation economy's dependency on oil and develop cleaner, sustainable sources of energy."
Using renewable, photosynthetic bacteria to produce biofuels eliminates the need for costly and complex processing.
"A key imperative of our global sustainability initiatives at Arizona State University is to engage our faculty and students and provide innovative solutions for the problems that afflict our planet," said ASU President Michael Crow. "We are taking advantage of perhaps our greatest natural resource, the abundant sunshine of the Southwest, as a prime catalyst for new discoveries that will benefit our region."
