After a 4-year stretch as US Energy Secretary, during which he fought to fund research on clean energy technology, Steven Chu has announced his resignation.
One way to increase biofuel production is to engineer plants that can withstand harsh environmental conditions, thereby expanding the range in which such crops can be grown.
Of the many available no- or low-carbon methods to harvest energy, including wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and solar approaches, conversion of plant biomass to liquid fuels is the most cost-effective strategy.