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Algae Batteries!

Cellulose is an amazingly versatile molecule, it helps plants and algae store energy, it feeds animals of all shapes and sizes, it’s the main ingredient in paper, it’s being used to make biofuels, and apparently it can also hold an electrical charge, essentially making a tiny, flexible, biodegradable battery. Different plants and species of algae have cellulose with different properties that are optimal for different uses, and apparently one of the species of algae that is most damaging in algal blooms, Cladophora, also has the cellulose with the best battery-like properties.

Biological electricity is something that is being heavily explored right now. Some organisms are naturally able to produce electricity (like electric eels and at much lower voltage, many species of bacteria). The idea of using biological materials that don’t have an electrical function in their natural context in batteries or other electronics is fascinating and opens up a whole set of possibilities for biomaterials that I had never really considered before. Perhaps with some more engineering, environmentally-friendly biological batteries (and who knows what else) could be a reality!

(via Seed, via LiveScience)


Tags: technologybioenergyelectronicsalgaenews
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Biofuel to be Made from Tuberculosis Bacteria : CleanTechnica The headline is a little misleading. The bacteria that the MIT biofuels researchers are using to make biodiesel is only genetically related to the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, so while it does create sensationalist headlines, it doesn’t actually cause disease in humans. Tuberculosis-causing bacteria actually have incredible abilities to form complex lipids, chemicals that can be easily modified to make fuels. The bad bacteria use these lipids to evade the human immune system, but synthetic biologists are hoping to be able to transfer the lipid producing genes from the TB bugs into harmless bacteria in order to make fuels.

Biofuel to be Made from Tuberculosis Bacteria : CleanTechnica

The headline is a little misleading. The bacteria that the MIT biofuels researchers are using to make biodiesel is only genetically related to the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, so while it does create sensationalist headlines, it doesn’t actually cause disease in humans.

Tuberculosis-causing bacteria actually have incredible abilities to form complex lipids, chemicals that can be easily modified to make fuels. The bad bacteria use these lipids to evade the human immune system, but synthetic biologists are hoping to be able to transfer the lipid producing genes from the TB bugs into harmless bacteria in order to make fuels.


Tags: bioenergymicrobiologybiofuels
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Inhabitat » First Algae-Powered Car Attempts to Cross US on 25 Gallons Just yesterday San Francisco saw the unveiling of the world’s first algae fuel-powered vehicle, dubbed the Algaeus. The plug-in hybrid car, which is a Prius tricked out with a nickel metal hydride battery and a plug, runs on green crude from Sapphire Energy — no modifications to the gasoline engine necessary. The set-up is so effective, according to FUEL producer Rebecca Harrell, that the Algaeus can run on approximately 25 gallons from coast to coast!

Inhabitat » First Algae-Powered Car Attempts to Cross US on 25 Gallons

Just yesterday San Francisco saw the unveiling of the world’s first algae fuel-powered vehicle, dubbed the Algaeus. The plug-in hybrid car, which is a Prius tricked out with a nickel metal hydride battery and a plug, runs on green crude from Sapphire Energy — no modifications to the gasoline engine necessary. The set-up is so effective, according to FUEL producer Rebecca Harrell, that the Algaeus can run on approximately 25 gallons from coast to coast!

Tags: biofuelsbioenergytechnology
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Solazyme Signs U.S. Department of Defense Contract to Develop Navy Fuels from Algae | Reuters


Tags: biofuelsbioenergy
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Taking Biofuels From the Lab to the Classroom This is great, a program to allow high school students to do hands-on research in synthetic biology and bioenergy organized through the Joint BioEnergy Institute. I think that synthetic biology has a lot of potential for improving how we teach and learn about biology, as evidenced by the tremendous success of the iGEM program. Even simple techniques in synthetic biology are based on a huge amount of knowledge about how cells cut, copy, and express genes, and about how different enzymes work to do some of the amazing things that bacteria can do (like break down cellulose and produce fuels). The basics of biochemistry and molecular biology are transformed from boring textbook memorization to something literally alive. There’s a big push in the synthetic biology community to abstract these details away, but I think it’s important to remember that synthetic biology is nothing without biology.

Taking Biofuels From the Lab to the Classroom

This is great, a program to allow high school students to do hands-on research in synthetic biology and bioenergy organized through the Joint BioEnergy Institute. I think that synthetic biology has a lot of potential for improving how we teach and learn about biology, as evidenced by the tremendous success of the iGEM program. Even simple techniques in synthetic biology are based on a huge amount of knowledge about how cells cut, copy, and express genes, and about how different enzymes work to do some of the amazing things that bacteria can do (like break down cellulose and produce fuels). The basics of biochemistry and molecular biology are transformed from boring textbook memorization to something literally alive. There’s a big push in the synthetic biology community to abstract these details away, but I think it’s important to remember that synthetic biology is nothing without biology.


Tags: educationbiofuelsbioenergypoliticsiGEM
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