Scientists Have Found An Unlikely Alternative To Gasoline. It Could Cost About $2.75 A Gallon.

The researchers found that the bamboo had an ash content of less than 1% of its dry weight, reducing the amount of solid residue generated during processing. (Credit: Getty Images)

Scientists have identified an unlikely source of transportation fuel that could cost as little as $2.75 a gallon to produce at commercial scale, potentially offering an alternative to petroleum-based gasoline and diesel while generating substantially lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The source is bamboo, a fast-growing grass more commonly associated with furniture, construction and household products. Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts have found that it can be converted into a crude-like oil suitable for further processing into liquid transportation fuels.