Sunlight-Assisted Methane Conversion

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Program:
REMOTE
Award:
$2,399,326
Location:
Saint Louis, Missouri
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
01/01/2014 - 06/30/2017

Technology Description:

MOgene Green Chemicals will engineer a photosynthetic organism for methane conversion that can use energy from both methane and sunlight. The first step in aerobic biological activation of methane requires oxygen and the introduction of energy in the form of heat. Organisms that use methane typically do so through a process that creates carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, losing energy-rich carbon molecules in the process. To address this, MOgene will engineer a “phototrophic” organism to convert methane that is capable of deriving additional energy from sunlight. This will allow the organism to naturally provide oxygen needed for methane conversion while recapturing any carbon dioxide that would have been released in the process. Consequently, MOgene’s technology would be a more efficient and cost-effective way to activate methane, while producing n-butanol, a liquid fuel precursor.

Potential Impact:

If successful, MOgene will develop a low-carbon-emissions technology that produces a liquid fuel from natural gas and sunlight through efficient, low-cost biological conversion.

Security:

An improved bioconversion process could create cost-competitive liquid fuels significantly reducing demand for foreign oil.

Environment:

This technology would allow for utilization of small-scale remote natural gas resources or methane and carbon rich gas residues for fuel production reducing harmful emissions associated with conventional fuel technologies.

Economy:

Expanding U.S. natural gas resources via bioconversion to liquid fuels could contribute tens of billions of dollars to the nation's economy while reducing or stabilizing transport fuel prices.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Marc von Keitz
Project Contact:
Dr. Abhay Singh
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
asingh@mogene.com

Partners

Sandia National Laboratory

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Release Date:
03/15/2013