You are here: Home: News: Talk about it | Mail it | Bookmark it

Anaerobes to provide a solution to U.S energy demands

13/Sep/2006: An anaerobe, Thermatoga neapolitana, which do not require oxygen for its growth, may help in meeting the energy demand in U.S in an eco-friendly way. United States rely heavily on fossil fuels to meet its energy demands and the escalating costs of fossil fuels coupled with dwindling supplies and the pollution it causes has made the government to look for cheaper and cleaner alternatives. Hydrogen, which is pollution free when burned and is abundant in the atmosphere, might just be the perfect alternative for fossil fuels in the future.

However, inexpensive ways to produce huge quantities of hydrogen in its pure gaseous form is essential, if hydrogen is to replace fossil fuels as the prime fuel source in U.S. According to Daniel (Niels) van der Lelie, a biologist in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, an anaerobic bacterium, Thermatoga neapolitana can generate huge quantities of Hydrogen gas, if fed with a simple glucose solution, at temperatures ranging from 158 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit at atmospheric to elevated pressures.

Van der Lelie’s research team has produced large amounts of hydrogen in experimental set ups using this microbe. Usually anaerobic organisms die when they are exposed to oxygen (obligate anaerobes) but Thermatoga neapolitana produce hydrogen efficiently in low-oxygen environment. This research may help in producing huge quantities of hydrogen safely and economically, paving a way for a hydrogen-based economy in U.S, in the years to come.

Earlier, anaerobic bacteria were able to produce hydrogen only in oxygen-free environment, which is extremely difficult to establish in large scale production facilities, as eliminating oxygen completely from the production lines is very expensive. With Thermatoga neapolitana being able to generate hydrogen in low-oxygen environment, large scale production facilities using this microbes could be set-up in future and can start producing hydrogen in large quantities, economically.

This research was funded by Laboratory Directed Research and Development Fund under a contract with the U.S Department of Energy, which has developed a long-term strategy to make hydrogen as a main fuel source, as it is clean, safe, secure, economic and can be generated easily from domestic resources.

Kesavan Siva

Eco Features
Eco Guides
Health & Lifestyle
Mail This Page
Link To Us
Bookmark
Archives

Recent Articles