Breakthrough in Ethanol Production by Toyota

Toyota is topping the auto world with hybrid variants of the new Toyota Prius models available at DARCARS Toyota in Silver Spring, MD. But they are only starting with electric.   Toyota wants to be remembered for even more advancements in fuel consumption. The Japanese auto maker is looking towards ethanol. A new yeast is being tested to help make a better alternative fuel. This newly developed yeast efficiently ferments xylose, a sugar produced when plant fibers break down, basically creating a super fuel.

The newly developed yeast produces one of the highest ethanol fermentation levels in the world, and is capable of improving bio-fuel quality while reducing production costs. Plans to perfect this ethanol, along with making ethanol a widely available commodity, are set to be completed by 2020.

The Toyota Biotechnology and Afforestation Laboratory is also developing a "cool-spot creation technology" for simulating the cooling effects of shade created by trees to be used in cars.¹

Source: ¹http://www.torquenews.com/397/toyota-reveals-breakthrough-cellulosic-ethanol-production