Much has been written about jatropha, the so-called miracle plant that the New York Times recently called the darling of the second-generation biofuels, and which Goldman Sachs, the world's largest investment bank, has identified as a promising source of biofuel in the future. Air New Zealand, in collaboration with Rolls Royce and Boeing, claims it will soon launch a test flight of a 747 powered by jatropha biofuel. Phoenix-based Honeywell Aerospace, Airbus, JetBlue Airways and others are working on a Jatropha-based biofuel to reduce costs and increase profitability. http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=7908

New Technologies for Sustainable Production of Biofuels and Biobased Products To Be Introduced at Pacific Rim Summit: WASHINGTON, Jul 17, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Companies and scientists will present research advances in sustainable biobased processes and products during the upcoming Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy, Sept. 10-12 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Scheduled plenary speakers include Mike Burnside, president and CEO, Catchlight Energy, LLC, a Chevron-Weyerhaeuser Joint Venture formed in February 2008 to research and develop technology for converting cellulose-based biomass into economical, low-carbon biofuels.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/new-technologies-sustainable-production-biofuels
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Algae-power has great potential for Hawaii: Although the venture is still in preliminary stages, the project has great potential for growing a nonfood crop that can yield far more oil on less land than such problematic plants as jatropha and palm. A further benefit would be the capture of some carbon dioxide emissions to feed the microalgae. When properly fed, microalgae will produce lipids or vegetable oil. Algae biodiesel yields run from 6,000 to 10,000 gallons per acre a year, or more than 10 times the 600 gallons per acre from palm or jatropha. The fast-growing algae uses brackish water, most of which can be reclaimed. http://starbulletin.com/2008/07/18/editorial/editorial02.html