Organization Name: University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass)
Project Title: Electrofuels Via Direct Electron Transfer from Electrodes to Microbes

UMass is feeding renewable electricity to bacteria to provide the microorganisms with the energy they need to turn carbon dioxide (CO2) directly into liquid fuels. UMass’ energy-to-fuels conversion process is anticipated to be more efficient than current biofuels approaches in part because this process will leverage the high efficiency of photovoltaics to convert solar energy into electricity. UMass is using bacteria already known to produce biofuel from electric current and CO2 and working to increase the amount of electric current those microorganisms will accept and use for biofuels production. In collaboration with scientists at University of California, San Diego, the UMass team is also investigating the use of hydrogen sulfide as a source of energy to power biofuel production.

Project Factsheet (PDF 288KB)

Electrofuels - Projects

• Columbia University: Biofuels from Bacteria, Electricity, and CO2
• Ginkgo Bioworks: Biofuels from E. Coli
• Harvard: Fuel from Bacteria, CO2, Water, and Solar Energy
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Turning Bacteria into Biofuel
• MIT: Natural Oil Production from Microorganisms 
• MIT: Liquid Fuel From Bacteria 
• MUSC: Liquid Fuel From Microbial Communities 
• North Carolina State University: Liquid Fuel from Heat-Loving Microorganisms 
• OPX Biotechnologies, Inc.: Engineering Bacteria for Efficient Fuel Production
• Pennsylvania State University: Genetically Modified Bacteria for Fuel Production
• The Ohio State University: Fuel from Bacteria
• UCLA: Liquid Fuel From Renewable Electricity and Bacteria
• UMASS Amherst: Biofuels from Solar Energy and Bacteria