Technology
The Fuel of the Future May Rely on Developing Oilier Soybeans
Modified beans that produce more oil could satisfy the need for renewable diesel without having to dedicate as much land to growing them.
Next-generation ZeaKal PhotoSeed bean seedlings.
Photographer: Neeta Satam/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
To reduce the carbon emissions from passenger jets and long-haul trucks, a vast volume of soy-based renewable fuel will be needed. To produce it, American farmers could rip up existing cornfields to clear space, plant millions of additional acres of soybeans and halt all soybean exports.
Or someone could make a better bean. Researchers at startups and biotech giants alike are exploring ways to formulate a new kind of legume through selective breeding or genetic modification that generates more oil per bushel.