Carbon-absorbent foam triumphs at 2010 Earth Awards

[G_j]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/16/david-wendell-foam-earth-awards



Carbon-absorbent foam triumphs at 2010 Earth Awards

Photosynthetic foam developed by Prof David Wendell and inspired by nest of South American frog will line coal-burning power plants

Shanta Barley

An artificial foam inspired by the meringue-like nest of a South American frog has won the 2010 Earth Awards. The foam, which could help to tackle climate change, soaks up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and generates sugars that can be converted into biofuel.

The Earth Awards were set up in 2007 to bring together green start-ups strapped for cash with investors. Between March and May, over 500 designs were submitted to a panel of judges that included Richard Branson, Jane Goodall, David de Rothschild and Diane von Furstenberg.

The panel awarded $10,000 each to six finalists in August. Tonight, the winning design – a photosynthetic foam developed by David Wendell and Carlo Monetmagno of the University of Cincinnati – was awarded $50,000 at Marlborough House, London, as part of the Prince of Wales' Start Festival.

The foam, which will be installed in the flues of coal-burning power plants, captures carbon dioxide and locks it away as sugar before it has a chance to enter the atmosphere and contribute to climate change. Due to its frothy structure, the foam can be up to five times more efficient than plants at converting carbon dioxide into sugar.

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[LiberalEsto]

1. Dentists everywhere are rejoicing

More sugar, more cavities!:)

[ThomWV]

2. $50k isn't a fart in the wind for scale up cost

And any one of the people mentioned as the panel of judges could have coughed up that much money out of pocket change. So its difficult to see this as a milestone event.