Capturing bio-diesel from sweating plants - can this really be done?

We never really knew that plants sweat. Nor were we aware that when some of them sweat, it's good ole biodiesel pouring out. If that's the case, then let's turn up the heat and get rewarded with all the fuel we will ever need. A little-known American company called Joule Unlimited claims that perspiration from a new type of gene-altered single cell organism actually contains usable biodiesel fuel. To prove its case, Joule will open a test pilot plant in Texas, a region capable of making anything sweat.

Here's how it's all supposed to work. The organisms are placed in a device that mimics a green solar panel. The panel is angled for maximum exposure to the sun. Feeding on a diet of carbon dioxide and water, the tiny organisms eat, succumb to the heat and sweat out diesel – or some form of it at least. The process is quite similar to algae extraction, but the sunbathing organisms could have a distinct advantage. Whereas algae is compressed during the fuel extraction process and typically can't be reused, these little organisms live on for another eight weeks after extraction, allowing them to soak up the rays for a lot longer, hopefully without getting burned. If the test project is successful, someday we may be able to claim that our vehicle is powered by nothing more than sweat. Sweet, sweet plant sweat. How's that sound for environmentally friendly?

[Source: Inhabitant]