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Future Perfect: Using bacteria to enhance biofuel production

biofuel production from bacteria

What’s happening right now?

No one may be doubtful of the fact that our fossil fuel sources are draining out quickly. According to some estimates, energy sources like coal and natural gases will last only 148 and 61 years respectively. All other traditional energy sources are to deplete in several years. It is high time scientists should find out some consistent methods to produce alternative fuel sources. It is here options like biofuel gain attraction among researchers and specialists.

The number of people, who lead researches to explore the possibilities of biofuel, has stepped up over the years. Indeed, we can listen to some hopeful outcomes from the researchers in near future. So far, we have some optimistic information to share with you in development of various biofuel production methods. There is an advanced method of employing bacteria to generate biofuel from different sources. Go through the article to know more about the developments in the area.

Trends

1. OPX Biotechnologies produce renewable fuel from the strains of E. coli

bacteria based process

A Colorado-based startup firm, OPX Biotechnologies has developed an organism to convert sugar to acrylic acid using strains of E. coli. The biggest benefit of this method is that the process emits less carbon dioxide. OPX showcased its innovative technology in a pilot plant that has a 200-liter fermentation boiler. According to the OPX researchers, the green technology will help reduce gasoline consumption by more than 500,000 barrels a year.

2. Bioengineers boost bacteria’s potential to produce bio-ethanol

Ethanol Biofuel Production from bacteria

It is a pioneering method from biofuel researchers to produce ethanol biofuel from bacterial strain. A team of U.S. researchers has developed the technique to modify a strain of bacteria to boost up its potential to generate ethanol. The researchers used Zymomonas mobilis, a bacterium famous for its capability to produce bio-ethanol, to augment bacterial strain to generate more biofuel. The technology has received huge acceptance since it will largely help in the world’s efforts for alternative fuel options.

3. Bacteria feast on sugars and produce biofuel

biofuel production from bacteria

Accepting the traditional way to produce biofuel may not cut the danger to the environment anymore. It is here a team of U.S. biologists has developed a process to use genetically-engineered E. coli bacteria to feast on sugars in wood chips and biomass waste. Production of biofuel this way will not raise any threat to the nature. According to the researchers, production cost is also very less in this process.

The concept

The very attraction behind employing bacteria to enhance biofuel production is that it won’t add into the greenhouse gases. If we follow the traditional ways to produce biofuel chances are high that it will badly hit our nature and add into the global warming threats. Moreover, production of biofuel from sugarcane or corn will lead to price increase of food items. The new technologies put forward methods to deploy bacteria to produce biofuel from food wastes and residues.

The advantages

As mentioned above, the biggest advantage of the new technology is that it makes no threat to the nature. In other words, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from the process is less than 75 percent from the traditional methods. As well, popularity of the method will boost the production of biofuel. Ultimately, it will end up in the less consumption of fossil fuel, which is depleting faster these days.

The impact

Needless to mention innovative technologies like the production of biofuel from alternative sources is a great help for the human hood as a whole. Exhaustion of conventional fuel sources is a looming threat for human beings, whose life is largely dependent on fuel. New technologies will realize production of more biofuel that can help reduce the effect of global warming and other environmental collapses.

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