Microorganism Could Support Development of Low-Cost Biofuel Production Process

azocleantech.com
Published on February 16, 2012 at 3:08 AM
By Cameron Chai

Scientists from BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) at the Department of Energy have conducted a proteomics study on Caldicellulosiruptor obsidiansis, a bacterium discovered by them in a Yellowstone National Park’s hot spring for production of advanced biofuels.

The BESC scientists are expanding their initiatives toward commercially feasible ethanol or biofuel production from crops like switchgrass.

Currently, ethanol production depends on the application of costly enzymes that break complex plant materials to produce sugars. These sugars are later fermented to produce ethanol. Consolidated bioprocessing is recommended as a cheaper option for the current process. The process employs microorganisms, which are resistant to very high temperatures, to split up the resistant biomass materials.

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