Low Carbon Fuels Could Disrupt Oil Market Within Five Years but Transformation in regulator support needed to secure commercial success for fuel alternatives
Several low-emission technologies have the potential to transform the transportation sector within five years if policymakers and regulators can help clear hurdles to commercial markets, according to a new report. The report, released Tuesday by the consulting firm Accenture, identifies 12 technologies -- including algae-based biofuels, next-generation internal combustion engines and electrification -- that it considers most likely to quickly transform the fuels sector. But those technologies will need help, the report says.

Of interest, the report notes (see page 21) that "Synthetic biology: sugar cane-to-diesel [is] close to commercial viability. [...] Synthetic biology applied to the sugar-to-diesel pathway changes this situation. If the economics could come close to the sugar cane-to-ethanol economics, then there would be significant potential in diesel markets given the cost and availability of sugar cane (compared to the traditional biodiesel feedstocks such as palm, soy and rapeseed). The use of synthetic biology to convert sugars to diesel has advanced significantly in the past one to two years, and it is close to commercial viability. Two companies, Amyris and LS9, are planning to break ground on commercial plants in 2011, with production starting by 2013.