Microbe-Based Methane to Diesel Conversion

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Program:
OPEN 2012
Award:
$3,999,673
Location:
Seattle, Washington
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
02/01/2013 - 06/30/2016

Technology Description:

The University of Washington (UW) is developing technologies for microbes to convert methane found in natural gas into liquid diesel fuel. Specifically the project seeks to significantly increase the amount of lipids produced by the microbe, and to develop novel catalytic technology to directly convert these lipids to liquid fuel. These engineered microbes could enable small-scale methane-to-liquid conversion at lower cost than conventional methods. Small-scale, microbe-based conversion would leverage abundant, domestic natural gas resources and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Potential Impact:

If successful, UW’s small-scale, microbe-based natural gas conversion process would enable natural gas resources typically too small for infrastructure investment cost-competitive with conventional methods.

Security:

Increasing the utility of geographically isolated natural gas reserves would decrease U.S. dependence on foreign oil by increasing the supply of domestically produced liquid fuels.

Environment:

Globally, trillions of cubic feet of natural gas are emitted or “flared,” during petroleum and natural gas refining. Reactors that capture and convert natural gas into liquid fuel would result in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from refineries.

Economy:

Technologies capable of enabling methane economically viable as a feedstock for liquid fuels would decrease U.S. foreign oil imports.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Marc von Keitz
Project Contact:
Dr. Mary Lidstrom
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
lidstrom@uw.edu

Partners

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
LanzaTech, Inc.
Johnson Mathey PLC

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Release Date:
03/02/2012