GM blames human error for the release of photos showing the Chevy Volt; a superbug could mean cheaper ethanol; and biomass comes to South Carolina.

GM - Volt photos released by accident: General Motors says the release of photographs showing a production-ready Chevy Volt electric car was a matter of “human error.” The images — posted to a company media website on Monday — depict the eagerly-awaited car with GM Vice Chairman Bib Lutz and other members of the Volt production team. The official unveiling of the Volt wasn’t expected until GM’s centennial celebrations next week. EcoTech Daily has gallery of the leaked Volt photos here. (Detroit News)

New bacteria could make cheaper ethanol: A new genetically engineered bacteria known as ALK2 may hold the key to cheaper ethanol. On Monday, researchers announced that the potent bug appears to be many times more efficient than bacterias currently used in the production of cellulosic ethanol. Lee Lynd of Dartmouth College says that ALK2 can do its work without the addition of pricey enzymes called cellulase. Cellulosic ethanol is produced from a variety of non-food organic stocks, such as wood shavings, inedible corn stalks, and kudzu. (Reuters)

Oil prices mixed amid hurricane watch, ahead of OPEC meet: The price of crude oil fluctuated Monday on worries over an upcoming OPEC production meeting and the possible impact of Hurricane Ike on Gulf Coast petroleum facilities. While computer projections currently suggest Ike will pass south of the largest Gulf oil and gas drilling fields, its approach will slow recovery after last week’s strike by Hurricane Gustav. New York oil prices closed up slightly at $106.34 per barrel for October deliver. Hurricane Ike is now expected to make landfall somewhere along the Texas coast by late Saturday. (AFP)

The 65 mpg Ford the U.S. Can’t Have: A version of the Ford Fiesta sold in Europe gets a whopping 65 MPG — better than the popular Toyota Prius hybrid. But don’t expect to see it on U.S. roads anytime soon, if at all. The 2009 Fiesta ECOnetic looks sports, seats five, and has its own GPS navigation system. Unfortunately for North American drivers, it’s also a diesel. Manufacturers have found it difficult to overcome diesel’s smoky, big-rig image in the United States. Ford says importing the Fiesta ECOnetic wouldn’t be profitable, and none of its existing Stateside facilities are in a position to produce the vehicle. U.S. drivers wanting to go diesel will have to wait for models from Mercedes, Honda, and Nissan — expected sometime in 2010. (Businessweek)

Landfill Gas Project Completed in South Carolina: Greenville, South Carolina, is the latest municipality to tap its own waste for energy. The Enoree Landfill Gas to Energy project is set to harvest methane from Greenville County’s decaying household trash and convert it into electricity. The installation is expected to produce 3.2 megawatts — about the same amount of electricity as a large wind turbine, but available at all times. The biomass project will also sell carbon credits related to its own construction on the international market. (Renewable Energy World)

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