TU Dresden researchers secure funding for methanogenic eco-factories

February 3, 2020 |

In Germany, the Faculty of Biology at TU Dresden received the approval of a promising, large-scale bio-economic project in mid-January. Project coordinator Professor Michael Rother is delighted and eager to start researching and operating the small methanogenic eco-factories: “Methanogens, which are methanogenic microbes from the domain Archaea, have so far “only” been industrially applied as efficient biogas producers. With MethanoPEP we want to develop a broader application for them in sustainable production processes”.

The biological formation of methane (methanogenesis) is considered one of the oldest known metabolic processes, playing an essential role in the global carbon cycle. Methane, the end product of methanogenic metabolism, has become a highly attractive renewable energy source because it can be produced comparatively easily from biomass and can easily be distributed and stored in the existing natural gas grid.

However, in addition to their methane production capacity, the small power plants harbor unexplored metabolic capabilities that represent interesting resources for biotechnological applications.

Through synergetic cooperation, the project partners will strive to advance the expertise on methanogens through fundamental and applied research in three areas. The overall goal is to make the small power plants more robust, more versatile and universally applicable: The first field is the development of new and the optimization of current cultivation principles.

Category: Research

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