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Julia Gillard’s Clean Energy Crusade

July 11, 2011 by ·

JULIA Gillard has committed Australia to emissions cuts of 80 per cent within 40 years, moving to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy in the most dramatic economic transformation since the lowering of the nation’s tariff barriers in the 1990s.

Declaring an “avalanche of science” dictated that the nation act to combat climate change, the Prime Minister said her carbon tax package announced yesterday would cut 159 million tonnes from Australia’s emissions by 2020 and allow the nation to “seize its clean energy future”.

“My message to Australians today is we are now moving from the days of words to deeds,” Ms Gillard said as she prepared to embark on a crucial two-week sales pitch for the package aimed at rescuing the government’s fortunes. “We are going to get this done. We are going to have a clean energy future.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Biotechnology, Energy, Environment, Solar Power ·

Re-engineered Plants May Root Out Terrorism Threats

February 6, 2011 by ·

CSU biologist June Medford looks at re-engineered plants such as arabidopsis as a tool in to the war on terrorism. The presence of potentially deadly vapors causes such plants to turn white. (Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post)

A government-backed Colorado State University scientist has re-engineered plants so that they can detect explosives, air pollution and toxic chemicals. Plants fixed with custom-made proteins in biologist June Medford’s lab signal the presence of potentially deadly vapors by turning from green to white.

Military and Homeland Security research directors on Wednesday said they envision wide applications for the genetically modified plants positioned in buildings, war zones and cities where terrorists could set up covert bombmaking factories.

“If you take something into Denver International Airport, like an explosive for a plane, my plants are going to turn white,” said Medford, 52. “That’s going to get the security guys on you.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Biotechnology, Research & Study ·

Grass Could Be Bioenergy Crop Of The Future, Say Indian-Origin Scientists

November 5, 2010 by ·

A research team, including Indian-origin researchers, has found that grass could be the bioenergy crop of the future as the demand for biofuels increases, replacing corn as the premiere biofuel crop.

Researchers at the University of Illinois have completed the first extensive geographic yield and economic analysis of potential bioenergy grass crops in the Midwestern United States.

Demand for biofuels is increasing as Americans seek to expand renewable energy sources and mitigate the effects of fluctuating energy prices.

Corn ethanol is the main biofuel on the market, but demand for ethanol competes with corn”s availability as a food, and rising ethanol consumption could lead to higher food costs. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Biotechnology, Energy ·