Bio-engineering to create photosynthesis on steroids...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120329171607.htm 

The article is more "dense" than most from this source.

Which makes this article even more interesting, since it won't be widely understood.

Watch the mass media for a play on "how great this achievement will be" crap, if they even figure out it's a story...

From the article:
Photosynthesis is the process of converting light energy to chemical energy and storing it in the bonds of sugar. 

There are two parts to photosynthesis -- a light reaction and a dark reaction. 

The light reaction converts light energy to chemical energy and must take place in the light. 

The dark reaction, which converts CO₂ to sugar, doesn't directly need light to occur.

"We've been able to separate the light reaction from the dark reaction and instead of using biological photosynthesis, we are using solar panels to convert the sunlight to electrical energy, then to a chemical intermediate, and using that to power carbon dioxide fixation to produce the fuel," Liao said. "This method could be more efficient than the biological system."

The researchers envision every rooftop in every conurbation with solar panels and a bio-generator, producing alcohol to run whatever one needs, directly or via electrical generator.

Photosynthesis has produced a huge majority of all energy humans have used through history; obviously wood fires, but also coal and petroleum were once plants...

What percentage of energy needs are provided by a rooftop (of a conventional house, 100sqM or 1075 sq ft of panels)?

Is it enough to run a car even, or a large percentage of household daily needs?

If our ethanol from grain production stopped tomorrow, that much more grain becomes available for food, or cattle feed.

We're already planting more corn http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_20290078/largest-u-s-corning-planting-since-1930s-expected than ever before.

Also, our "ownership" of the electrical generation capability may make us more discerning consumers, and more conservation oriented.

All of which stretches the limit on the number of people on the planet...

WHAT SOCIETAL GOVERNANCE IS IN PLACE TO HAVE TOTALLY DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY GET INTRODUCED WITHOUT CARE OR FORETHOUGHT.

(I sound like such a Luddite...)

FRISH