Methane-munching platform microbe: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to Intrexon Energy

Intrexon’s proprietary methanotroph bioconversion platform has the potential to transform the gas-to-liquids (GTL) industry through use of optimized microbial cell lines to convert natural gas into higher carbon compounds such as isobutanol and farnesene under ambient temperatures and pressures.  This novel approach avoids costly, resource intensive thermochemical GTL conversion methods, and offers a biofuel that does not utilize sugar or other plant-based feedstock, which are expensive carbon sources that compete with food crops for arable land. Additionally, through the substantial yield advantage of the methanotroph over other microbes, Intrexon’s bioconversion platform has a favorable economic profile that, based on current targets, will allow even small scale demonstration plants to achieve profitability within the first year of production.