GM microbe breakthrough paves way for large-scale seaweed farming for biofuels

Earlier studies have indicated that large-scale use of seaweed as an energy source could in theory supply the world's needs several times over and the UK government envisages between 560 and 4700 km sq ofseaweed farms in its long-term energy planning.

The new microbe research, published today in the leading journal Science, represents a "critical" technological breakthrough, but the challenge of making the approach commercially viable remains.