Tecnología de Microvi para obtener productos químicos a partir de biogás es subvencionada por el DOE

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El biogás es un producto de la digestión anaerobia de múltiples fuentes de residuos orgánicos como, por ejemplo, excrementos de animales o deshechos alimentarios. Sus componentes primarios son metano y dióxido de carbono (composición típica: 50–75% CH4, 25–50% CO2, 0–10% N2, 0–5% O2, 1000-2000 ppm H2S), potente gases de efecto invernadero. Actualmente, la mayor parte de la producción mundial de biogás se usa en sistemas de combustión directa para producir electricidad. Como opciones alternativas se encuentran su uso estacionario en motores de combustión interna móviles o fijos y su inyección en gasoductos tras ser procesado de manera previa.

Sin embargo, el biogás tiene también el potencial para ser el punto de partida para biocombustibles líquidos y productos químicos renovables. Puede expandir el rango de productos que se generan en biorrefinerías e instalaciones de tratamiento de residuos. Por ejemplo, el biometano obtenido tras el procesado del biogás puede ser convertido en gas de síntesis para producir combustibles y productos químicos medienta síntesis Fischer-Tropsch.

Y hay nuevos procesos en desarrollo. Una tecnología biocatalítica innovadora que convierte el metano y el dióxido de carbono procedentes del biogás en productos químicos líquidos de alto valor, ha sido seleccionado por el Departamento de Energía de los Estados Unidos para recibir una subvención (ver nota de prensa). Esta nueva tecnología se basa en la Plataforma Tecnológica MicroNiche Engineering™ de Microvi y que promete superar las limitaciones de de los procesos convencionales para obtener productos químicos líquidos a partir de biogás. Microvi es una empresa de biotecnología industrial con sede en la Bahía de San Francisco que desarrolla tecnologías de bioconversión de última generación para los sectores del agua, del tratamiento de aguas y química. MicroNiche Engineering, el núcleo tecnológico de la empresa, es un método de síntesis biológica que obtiene cinéticas fácilmente reproducibles para casi cualquier proceso biocatalítico.

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