BRIEFS: Prius to restart

TOKYO (AP):

Toyota Motor Corp said it will soon resume production of the Prius and two other hybrid models while rival Honda Motor Co has extended its Japan auto shutdown until early April in the aftermath of the massive quake and tsunami.

Toyota, the world's No 1 automaker, plans to restart production of the Prius and two Lexus hybrids - the HS 250h and CT 200h - from Monday. The Prius is made at the Tsutsumi factory in western Japan, while the Lexus models are produced in the southern island of Kyushu.

Clean fuel search

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP):

China is turning to West Virginia University for cleaner, affordable, domestic option for transportation of fuel.

WVU Chemical Engineer Elliot Kennel is leading a team that will be conducting experiments to convert biomass and coal to transportation fuel. The project is being funded by the US Department of Energy and using equipment donated by a Chinese energy business enterprise called Lu'an Group.