Disruptive fuel and vehicle technologies
Sen. McCain has proposed a $300 million prize for a breakthrough in automotive electric battery technology. Here are some other disruptive technologies that could move the needle in terms of a national energy solution:
1. A diesel electric hybrid engine.
2. A spark ignition engine that takes full advantage of ethanol’s higher octane rating.
3. A breakhthrough in algae production costs to bring it to $3-$4 per gallon.
4. A catalyst-based thermochemical process that works effectively with algae (e.g. handles the high water content effectively).
5. Cavitation technology that can produce multiple fuels (e.g. ethanol, butanol, biocrude) from the same feedstock (a counterpoint to biofuel producers that can produce the same molecule from multiple feedstocks).
6. An additive that would allow all vehicles to run higher ethanol blends than E10.
