Researchers have engineered a common type of bacteria to produce biodiesel and other goodies from plain old plants. The microbial trickery, detailed today in the journal Nature, promises to add "nature's petroleum" to America's energy supply within the next few years.

"We've got a billion tons of biomass every year that goes unused," said Jay Keasling, a co-author of research study and chief executive officer for the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy Institute, or JBEI. "We'd like to turn that into fuel."

"Biomass" is shorthand for any plant material that's suitable for converting into energy, ranging from grain to the stuff that's left behind in the field after harvesting, from wood product waste to plants and seeds. Corn, for instance, is the primary source of biomass for making ethanol.



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