Editorial - Photosynthetic microorganisms for bio-fuel production

摘要

Harnessing solar energy for the production of clean biofuel is one of the major current research targets in the field of industrial biotechnology, aiming to allow a switch to a carbon neutral energy economy in the future. To reach this ambitious goal, novel methods and techniques of carbon-based biofuel production processes are required by using photosynthetically active microorganisms such as eukaryotic microalgae, prokaryotic cyanobacteria or purple bacteria as “catalysts” to convert sun light energy into dense and storable bioenergy products. Such bio-based approaches aim to efficiently convert inorganic atmospheric CO2 into organic carbon-based fuels or alternatively into hydrogen and, when successful, will provide an alternative to biofuel production concepts based on plant derived carbohydrates. The advantages of using phototrophic microorganisms for e.g. a direct photon energy derived fuel production rather than higher plants are higher photon conversion efficiencies and production rates, lower water requirement, multiple uses in bio-refineries and no competition for arable land resources.