uni'wissen 1-2013_ENG

Biofuel doesn’t have a particularly good repu tation at the moment. Its production takes up land that could otherwise be used to grow food. The intensive cultivation of the soil with a heavy use of fertilizer and pesticides does dam age to the environment. Fuel obtained from rape seed or sugarcane, once hailed as the answer to all of our future energy problems, has fallen into disrepute among the environmentally and socially conscious. It is regarded as a polluter with a lousy carbon footprint and as a cause of increases in food prices. These price hikes hit people in poor countries the hardest. In light of these facts, the idea that there are organisms that require neither arable land nor fertilizers nor pesticides and that break down carbon dioxide (CO2) while also producing fuel seems like a tree hugger’s pipe dream. But these remarkable organisms actually exist. Known as cyanobacteria or bluegreen algae, they live in the water and use CO2 and light to make ethanol, an alcohol that can go right into the gas tank when mixed with gasoline. Scien tists at the University of Freiburg are conducting a research project called “Cyanosys – Systems Biology of Cyanobacterial Biofuel Production” in collaboration with several partners in order to determine whether this novel form of obtaining biofuel has the potential to be part of the energy mix of the future. “Our main goal is to prepare a pilot project on the largescale industrial production of biofuels obtained from cyanobacteria,” says Annegret Wilde, professor in molecular genetics at the Institute of Biology III of the University of Freiburg. Wilde has served as scientific coordi nator of the project since its launch in March 2013. The research team also includes Wolf gang Hess, professor in experimental bioinfor matics and genetics at the Institute of Biology III. The two professors are collaborating with “Our main goal is to prepare a pilot project on the large-scale industrial production of biofuels obtained from cyanobacteria” The cyanobacteria are grown in bioreactors made of plastic film. In order to produce high-quality fuels, the microorganisms only need seawater, carbon dioxide, and energy from sunlight. Photo: Algenol The cyanobacteria are grown in bioreactors made of plastic film. In order to produce high-quality fuels, the microorganisms only need seawater, carbon dioxide, and energy from sunlight. Photo: Algenol 9 8

uni'wissen 1-2013_ENG

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