Scientists discover a way to speed up the process of breaking down plant material using sunlight, calling it 'reverse photosynthesis'. The process might transform the industrial production of fuel and chemicals by reducing pollution significantly. http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2016/160404/ncomms11134/full/ncomms11134.html
I'm not well versed it this, but it seems useless for fuel production to me. First point is that sunlight could be generting electrical energy. Second point is oxidation releases chemical energy that various "bugs" could use to make hydrogen. The gas coming from a well sealed trash dump will burn (despite its CO2 content) but not if oxygen gets to the trash.
