One of the problems with biofuel is that it often consumes farmland that could otherwise be used for growing food. But what if we could easily produce biofuel from marginal land? Chhandak Basu, a researcher at the University of Northern Colorado, may have the answer.

Basu has received a grant to study the feasibility of taking the oil-producing genes from the Copaiba tree, and inserting them into other types of plants, like grasses, to induce those plants to produce oleoresin, a compound with similar properties to diesel fuel.

The Copaiba tree, which can produce up to 40 liters of biofuel per year, flourishes in tropical environments. By splicing genes with common grasses, weeds, and other non-food crops, Basu hopes to create plants which can be grown in a variety of climates, without the need for pesticides or the use of much fertilizer, and which require little processing to turn into usable fuel.

"Everyone, everywhere, all the states, all the countries, in fact, are putting money into biofuels projects," Basu said. "It's renewable energy. We can reuse it, unlike coal. We can grow the plant again and extract more fuel again and again."

The project is still at an early stage, but the game-changing potential is enormous.

"I've always wanted to use plants to solve human needs," he said. "This is one of the ways that I can do that."

Further Reading:

• Rice Straw: Key to the Newest Biofuel?
• Algae Biofuels Making Headway