BIOENERGY:
Challenges &
Opportunities
Gavin Collins
ERC - Bioenergy
15th December, 2008
BIOENERGY at ERC
!
BIOENERGY at ERC
!
BIOENERGY at ERC
!
BIOENERGY
!
BIOENERGY
!
Society is
dependent on
a continuous
flow of energy
BIOENERGY
!
Society is
dependent on
a continuous
flow of energy
“Sustainable, affordable and secure energy has
to become one of the basic pillars of daily life”
EU 7th Framework Programme
BIOENERGY
!
BIOENERGY
!
BIOENERGY
!
BIOENERGY
!
BIOENERGY
!
BIOENERGY at ERC
!
•Combustion Chemistry
•Bioelectrochemistry
•Microbial Ecophysiology
•Waste/Biomass-to-Energy
Key ERC Research
!
combustion
chemistry
Key ERC Research
!
combustion
chemistry
2003
$30
Key ERC Research
!
combustion
chemistry
2003
$30
Key ERC Research
!
bioelectrochemistry
Key ERC Research
!
bioelectrochemistry
Microbes
were
the earliest,
and are still
the best
electrochemists
How do bacteria make a living?
How do bacteria make a living?
Common factor in all respiration is a redox pair:
an electron donor and an electron receptor.
How do bacteria make a living?
Common factor in all respiration is a redox pair:
an electron donor and an electron receptor.
Stripping
electrons from
the donor:
oxidation
Electrons are
transferred to an
acceptor, which is
said to be reduced
How do bacteria make a living?
Common factor in all respiration is a redox pair:
an electron donor and an electron receptor.
Stripping
electrons from
the donor:
oxidation
Electrons are
transferred to an
acceptor, which is
said to be reduced
Hence the term ‘redox’.
neednʼt look to
environmental biotechnologies
!
neednʼt look to
environmental biotechnologies
!
neednʼt look to
environmental biotechnologies
• ecosystems: energy flow
!
neednʼt look to
environmental biotechnologies
• ecosystems: energy flow
!
neednʼt look to
environmental biotechnologies
• ecosystems: energy flow
• microbes gain energy in most inhospitable
places
!
neednʼt look to
environmental biotechnologies
• ecosystems: energy flow
• microbes gain energy in most inhospitable
places
!
neednʼt look to
environmental biotechnologies
• ecosystems: energy flow
• microbes gain energy in most inhospitable
places
• life in deep biosphere;
– nutritional strategies for cell growth
!
neednʼt look to
environmental biotechnologies
• ecosystems: energy flow
• microbes gain energy in most inhospitable
places
• life in deep biosphere;
– nutritional strategies for cell growth
• what can we learn?
!
microbes can and will
do anything.....
microbes can and will
do anything.....
microbes can and will
do anything.....
smarter
microbes can and will
do anything.....
smarter
wiser
microbes can and will
do anything.....
smarter
wiser
more
energetic
microbes can and will
do anything.....
smarter
wiser
more
energetic
microbes can and will
do anything.....
smarter
wiser
more
energetic
If you take care of your microbial friends,
they will take care of your future
David Perlman, University of Wisconsin, 1980
How do they make a living?
How do they make a living?
anaerobic ammonia
oxidation (anammox):
a hard trick to pull off!
produces hydrazine (rocket fuel) as
an intermediate, which the bacteria
have to tuck away in internal sacs
made of lipids.
How do they make a living?
anaerobic ammonia
oxidation (anammox):
a hard trick to pull off!
produces hydrazine (rocket fuel) as
an intermediate, which the bacteria
have to tuck away in internal sacs
made of lipids.
If bacteria have found a way
to do that, despite having
to cope with a toxic byproduct, is there anything
they cannot do?
How do they make a living?
anaerobic ammonia
oxidation (anammox):
a hard trick to pull off!
produces hydrazine (rocket fuel) as
an intermediate, which the bacteria
have to tuck away in internal sacs
made of lipids.
If bacteria have found a way
to do that, despite having
to cope with a toxic byproduct, is there anything
they cannot do?
Subsequent discoveries
— of bacteria that ‘breathe’ metal
oxides, or feed on bleach (!!) —
have strengthened the case for
bacterial omnipotence.
How do they make a living?
anaerobic ammonia
oxidation (anammox):
a hard trick to pull off!
produces hydrazine (rocket fuel) as
an intermediate, which the bacteria
have to tuck away in internal sacs
made of lipids.
If bacteria have found a way
to do that, despite having
to cope with a toxic byproduct, is there anything
they cannot do?
Subsequent discoveries
— of bacteria that ‘breathe’ metal
oxides, or feed on bleach (!!) —
have strengthened the case for
bacterial omnipotence.
Bacteria in anode
chamber: free of
oxygen
Anaerobic: must
transfer electrons
obtained from
oxidation somewhere
else than to oxygen.
E- go to the anode,
while the cathode is
exposed to oxygen.
Cathode: electrons, oxygen and protons combine to form only
water. The 2 electrodes are at different potentials: creates a biobattery (if the system is not refilled) or a fuel cell (if we constantly
put in new food or "fuel" for the bacteria).
Key ERC Research
!
anaerobic
digestion
Fermentation
and/or
Methanogenic
Biomass/Waste-to-Energy Systems
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Complex organic
molecules
Methane (CH4)
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Complex organic
molecules
Hydrolytic/
fermentative
bacteria
Methane (CH4)
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Complex organic
molecules
Hydrolytic/
fermentative
Simpler monomers
bacteria
Methane (CH4)
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Complex organic
molecules
Hydrolytic/
fermentative
Simpler monomers
bacteria
Fermentative/
Acidogenic
bacteria
Methane (CH4)
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Complex organic
molecules
Hydrolytic/
fermentative
Simpler monomers
bacteria
Fermentative/
Acidogenic
bacteria
Organic acids, alcohols,
ketones
Methane (CH4)
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Complex organic
molecules
Hydrolytic/
fermentative
Simpler monomers
bacteria
Fermentative/
Acidogenic
bacteria
Organic acids, alcohols,
ketones
Acetogenic
bacteria
Methane (CH4)
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Complex organic
molecules
Hydrolytic/
fermentative
Simpler monomers
bacteria
Fermentative/
Acidogenic
bacteria
Organic acids, alcohols,
ketones
Acetogenic
bacteria
Acetate, CO2, H2
Methane (CH4)
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Complex organic
molecules
Hydrolytic/
fermentative
Simpler monomers
bacteria
Fermentative/
Acidogenic
bacteria
Organic acids, alcohols,
ketones
Acetogenic
bacteria
Acetate, CO2, H2
Methanogenic
Archaea
Methane (CH4)
BIOENERGY
!
BIOENERGY
!
Challenges
&
Opportunities
Is
biomass-to-biofuel
the answer?
Is
biomass-to-biofuel
the answer?
Is
biomass-to-biofuel
the answer?
Robert Zoellick President, WB; 7th July 2008
“What we are witnessing is not a
natural disaster - a silent tsunami or
a perfect storm:
Robert Zoellick President, WB; 7th July 2008
It is a man-made catastrophe, and as
such must be fixed by people”
Robert Zoellick President, WB; 7th July 2008
“The US and Europe also need to..
reduce mandates, subsidies and
tariffs
Robert Zoellick President, WB; 7th July 2008
benefiting grain and oil seed
biofuels that take food off the table
for millions”
Robert Zoellick President, WB; 7th July 2008
For globalization to work successfully
and achieve its promise, it must be
inclusive and sustainable.”
Robert Zoellick President, WB; 7th July 2008
the question is whether we can act swiftly
to help those most in need”
Robert Zoellick President, WB; 7th July 2008
Urged group to tackle the
“interconnected challenges of
climate change, food prices and
development”
Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary General; same day
global
problems
global
problems
global
problems
• climate change
global
problems
• climate change
• food prices
global
problems
• climate change
• food prices
• sustainable
development
energy from waste
& biomass
energy from waste
& biomass
energy from waste
& biomass
wastewaters
energy from waste
& biomass
wastewaters
agricultural
manures & slurries
energy from waste
& biomass
municipal
solid waste
wastewaters
agricultural
manures & slurries
energy from waste
& biomass
municipal
solid waste
crop wastes
wastewaters
agricultural
manures & slurries
detailed
understanding
detailed
understanding
protection
detailed
understanding
protection
wisest
application
To my mind, then...
important to think about microbial
bioenergy in broadest possible sense
•to look to nature for clues
•apply m/o for the most sustainable
practices
BIOENERGY
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BIOENERGY
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Challenges
&
Opportunities
Opportunities
!
•Biorefineries:
•feedstock (e.g. grass, algae) for
fermentation products and biogas
•lignocellulasic activity
•Anaerobic digestion of solid wastes
e.g. sewage
!
!
case
study
Opportunities
!
COD removal (%)
AD of raw sewage (250 mg COD l-1) at 37, 15 and 10 deg C
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Time (Days)
200
220
240
260
280
300
Opportunities
AD of raw sewage (750 mg COD l-1) at 37, 15 and 10 deg C
COD removal (%)
!
320
340
360
380
Time (Days)
400
420
440
Anaerobic granular
biofilms
Anaerobic granular
biofilms
different
types
Anaerobic granular
biofilms
No two are
the same!
different
types
To do:
!
•Biorefinery Feedstock Life Cycle analyses
•Low-temperature Hydrolysis in anaerobic
sewage treatment reactors
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To do:
!
e.g.
•Biorefinery Feedstock Life Cycle analyses
•Low-temperature Hydrolysis in anaerobic
sewage treatment reactors
28
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