Turning prairie grass into biofuel; disappearing ink may save trees and energy; and it’s once more around the block for gasoline-burning engines. Welcome to the midweek edition of The Daily Five.

In Efficiency Lab, GM Rethinks the Old-School Engine: Hybrids, plug-in cars, and fuel cell vehicles represent the automotive future. But in the near term, General Motors is working to give the gas-burning internal combustion engine one last lease on life. GM is betting Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) technology will bump gasoline economy by 20 to 30 percent. That would put pure fuel-burners in the efficiency realm inhabited by current-generation hybrids — while buying time for the maturation of newer technologies. (Popular Mechanics)

An Organizer For Structuring Silicon Without High Temperatures Developed - Useful For Solar Cells: Researchers at Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Metals Research have developed a way to manipulate the processing of silicon using a thin layer of aluminum. The process dramatically lowers the temperature at which “disorganized” silicon crystalizes. Silicon is a major component of solar cells. Being able to bond silicon to heat sensitive materials, such as plastic or paper, may lead to a new generation of cheap and flexible solar panels. (Science Daily)

New way to save energy - Disappearing ink: Here’s a novel way to save trees — disappearing ink. The Xerox-owned Palo Alto Research Center has come up with a readable ink which fades after 16 to 24 hours, leaving a blank sheet of paper. The page can then be reused for printing. (CNET)

Do Plug-Ins and Electric Cars Present A Health Hazard?: Once upon a time, the possible negative health effect of high-voltage power lines and the electromagnetic fields they generate was the subject of hot debate. Now the issue is back — in the context of hybrid and plug-in automobiles. Jim Kliesch, a senior engineer for the Union of Concerned Scientists, frets that passengers in electric vehicles may be sitting on top of powerful EMF radiators. A statement by Toyota says that their vehicles far exceed recognized EMF safety standards. (Gas 2.0)

Oklahoma Bioenergy Center To Plant Switchgrass for Cellulosic Ethanol Production: A cost-effective process to convert cellulose to ethanol is the holy grail of biofuels. Current biofuels are largely distilled from food-grade grains and feedstocks. But a pilot program in Oklahoma has just secured thousand acres of switchgrass specifically for cellulosic conversion. The hardy, fast-growing prairie grass requires minimal cultivation, and will be used by Abengoa Bioenergy in Hugoton, Kansas. (Clean Edge News)

Stories You Might Also Like: