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New York State to Convert Hybrid Fleet to Plug-Ins

A new $10 million effort in New York State is geared toward converting the state’s hybrid fleetconsisting mostly of Toyota Priuses and Ford Hybrid Escapes into plug-in hybrids. The New York State Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) released a solicitation on Monday that calls for multiple awards of up to $100,000 for the development of plug-in hybrid vehicle prototypes, which will then be subject to three months of testing. Builders of successful prototype vehicles may then apply for a second round of funding to convert the state’s fleet of hybrids into plug-in hybrids. NYSERDA estimates that the state owns between 500 and 600 hybrid cars and light trucks, and the winning bidders will need to present a viable plan to manufacture allor a significant portion ofthe plug-in conversion systems in New York State, or otherwise generate significant economic activity in the state. Proposals are due on September 18th. NYSERDA is also offering another $5 million to support the development and manufacturing of advanced vehicle components in New York State. This program will provide funding for new product development and for the siting or expansion of manufacturing facilities to produce innovative on-road vehicle components or systems, with the goal of […]

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Lab-Created Grass Is Found in the Wild

By Andrew Pollack, August 16, 2006 An unapproved type of genetically engineered grass has been found growing in the wild in what scientists say could be the first instance in the United States in which a biotechnology plant has established itself outside a farm. Ecologists at the Environmental Protection Agency said they had found a small number of the grass plants growing in central Oregon near the site of field tests that took place a few years ago. The E.P.A. scientists and others said the grass would probably not pose an ecological threat. Still, it could provide fodder for critics who say that agricultural biotechnology cannot be adequately controlled. “It is a cautionary tale that you have to think about the possibility of plants escaping into populations where there are wild relatives present,” said Jay Reichman, an agency ecologist who is the lead author of a study to be published in the journal Molecular Ecology. The genetically engineered grass, called creeping bentgrass, is being developed by the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and Monsanto for use on golf courses. It contains a bacterial gene that makes the grass resistant to the herbicide Roundup, known generically as glyphosate. The goal is to create […]

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Illinois Grants $25M for Five Biofuel Plants

URL: http://www.grainnet.com/articles/Illinois_Gov__Blagojevich_Announces__25_Million_in_Grants_to_Help_Build_Five_Ethanol_and_Biodiesel_Plants_Across_the_State-36447.html Website: http://www.grainnet.com/articles/Illinois_Gov__Blagojevich_Announces__25_Million_in_Grants_to_Help_Build_Five_Ethanol_and_Biodiesel_Plants_Across_the_State-36447.html     

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