Oil, The Renewable Energy Source (Startup has E Coli Excreting Oil)

Kernel Sanders · 08-13-08, 03:51 PM

Quote:

DailyTech previously covered startup LS9 Inc.'s efforts to genetically engineer microbes to produce synthetic fuels. After initial efforts to genetically modify both yeast and bacteria to produce long-chain hydrocarbons, they have since focused their efforts on a particular common bacterium -- E. Coli.

E. Coli is commonly found in feces, and the LS9 researchers have succeeded in a rather ironic goal -- genetically modifying the bacteria to excrete diesel fuel. After much research and genetic modification, LS9 says it has used a variety of common sugar metabolic pathways to force E. Coli to convert virtually any sugar-containing substance in part to carbon chains virtually indistinguishable with diesel. [...]

He explains the process of creating the microbes, stating, "So these are bacteria that have been engineered to produce oil. They started off like regular lab bacteria that didn't produce oil, but we took genes from nature, we engineered them a bit [and] put them into this organism so that we can convert sugar to oil."

While the microbes are currently only producing diesel fuel, they could easily be tuned to produce gasoline or jet fuel according to Mr. Cardayre. Best of all, the bacteria don't have to use simple sugars such as corn, a major criticism of the ethanol infrastructure. The increased demand for corn by the ethanol industry is accused of raising food prices. Instead they can use a variety of "foods" including sugar cane, landscaping waste, wheat straw, and wood chips. The microbes used are a "friendly" noninfectious type of E. Coli that lack the proteins needed to invade the human body, which some strains of E. Coli are capable of doing.

Source [ DailyTech]

Very interesting. If this can be mass produced we're looking at a very different future. I had heard news of this startup's previous ventures, but the shift to E Coli is good news. E Coli is one of the most omnipresent and best understood organisms in existence. Care and reproduction are probably already prepared for industrialization due to bio research

DeeJayH · 08-13-08, 04:02 PM

but the evil oil wiill still produce greenhouse gases if we keep consuming it unrestrained

ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH

its the devils plan, i tell ya

jfuh · 08-13-08, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernel Sanders

Source [ DailyTech]

Very interesting. If this can be mass produced we're looking at a very different future. I had heard news of this startup's previous ventures, but the shift to E Coli is good news. E Coli is one of the most omnipresent and best understood organisms in existence. Care and reproduction are probably already prepared for industrialization due to bio research

This is a step in the right direction. But I see already we have our ignorant environmental bashers out on full spin cycle even before "environmentalists" respond.

Always E. coli; this is a step in the right direction, but what is the form of sugar used? Still primarily glucose and other simple sugars.

This would be the same stupid mistake as using corn for ethanol - you simply can not expect to be using the very same fuel for human consumption as you would for fuel for machinery.

Granted that this company has been able to make the same fuel from wheat stalks but that is not something (according to their own information or rather lack of), they've been able to successfully produce.

jfuh · 08-13-08, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeeJayH

but the evil oil wiill still produce greenhouse gases if we keep consuming it unrestrained

ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH

its the devils plan, i tell ya

Now why would that matter considering that this would be carbon neutral and in equilibrium with the environment?

Kernel Sanders · 08-13-08, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfuh

This is a step in the right direction. But I see already we have our ignorant environmental bashers out on full spin cycle even before "environmentalists" respond.

Always E. coli; this is a step in the right direction, but what is the form of sugar used? Still primarily glucose and other simple sugars.

This would be the same stupid mistake as using corn for ethanol - you simply can not expect to be using the very same fuel for human consumption as you would for fuel for machinery.

Granted that this company has been able to make the same fuel from wheat stalks but that is not something (according to their own information or rather lack of), they've been able to successfully produce.

While in "prototype" form it can survive on a handful of sources, I would guess that it can be made to live off of almost anything. It's bacteria - a bit less picky than industrial machinery used to process ethanol. If you can find a way to collect the oil you could probably set this stuff loose in a landfill and have it thrive

jfuh · 08-13-08, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernel Sanders

While in "prototype" form it can survive on a handful of sources, I would guess that it can be made to live off of almost anything. It's bacteria - a bit less picky than industrial machinery used to process ethanol. If you can find a way to collect the oil you could probably set this stuff loose in a landfill and have it thrive

Actually, this is nothing new. In the 30's we already had ABE fermentation (acetone, butanol and ethanol) using bacterial fermentation.
The Germans got the bejesus bombed out of their solvent fermentation plants causing their Messerschmitts to not have the high octane fuel needed in dog fighting by fighter craft.
It's not that it's bacteria hence it's less picky, but the form of enzymes that they used for the fermentation. However as I'd already mentioned before, these enzymes are still, nevertheless, dependent on short simple sugars that are in competition with human consumption.
Sure we can call this "kinks and bugs" to be worked out. However from the perspective of someone in this field, this is nothing new at all, and is but another attempt of generating publicity and funding.
I hope they can succeed and I hope they don't make the same form of mistake as corn fermentation.

DeeJayH · 08-13-08, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfuh

Now why would that matter considering that this would be carbon neutral and in equilibrium with the environment?

please edumacate me
how is burning oil, which release greenhouse gases carbon neutral?

jfuh · 08-18-08, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeeJayH

please edumacate me
how is burning oil, which release greenhouse gases carbon neutral?

The question you should be asking is how is the oil "produced"?

rathi · 08-18-08, 04:57 PM

Its high unlikely that this could be mass produced to provide fuel for cars. Assembling the materials needed to create oil would likely run into the problems that ethanol production does. However, this technology would a great way to make oil for use in the military and plastics. Also, it would advance biotechnology as a means of fabrication, which might pay other technological dividends. I'm excited about this, but its important to remember this is not going to solve our oil problems.

DeeJayH · 08-18-08, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfuh

The question you should be asking is how is the oil "produced"?

how it is produced is irrelevant, if it is used in the same manner that has all the tree huggers panties twisted in knots