|
 |
Taking an alternative approach to renewable energy
Energy security, increasing costs for energy, concern over greenhouse gas and its effect on climate change; all of these factor into our desire to find home-grown, renewable and inexpensive sources of energy. Renewable biofuels such as ethanol and hydrogen are potential alternative energy solutions. However, biofuel production from inexpensive feedstocks, especially lignocellulose, poses a significant technical challenge to overcome. Microbial Fuel Cell Technologies, LLC (MFC Tech) is applying a microbial and bioelectrochemical approach to the production of biofuels that results in an increased yield of biofuel from inexpensive feedstocks that are cellulose-based or are considered waste.
MFC Tech is a new R&D company dedicated |
|
|
to the development of intellectual properties for renewable energy technologies. The company’s patent-pending processes increase ethanol or hydrogen yields from cellulose by more than 2-fold while avoiding product loss due to fouling contamination. The ultimate goal is to achieve higher yields of the biofuels at lower cost than what commercially available technologies can offer at present. MFC Tech will then license the processes to manufacturers of these fuels and chemicals.
The company’s current focus is on renewable ethanol and hydrogen due to their large and growing markets as fuels and chemicals. However, the company is also exploring other ways to use the biocatalysts such as the production of additional fuels and chemicals or manufacturing of bioelectrical devices and sensors. MFC Tech will collaborate with industrial, academic, and financial partners who share the same goal and passion for renewable energy. |
