微生物生产可再生生物能源的优势

Superiorities For Renewable Bio-energjUsing Microorganisms

现在倍受关注的新能源是可再生生物能源,而微生物是其最重要来源。一方面,微生物群体能把各种生物质残留转化为对社会有用的能量;它能把废弃物中几乎所有能量转化为甲烷、氢气和电能。另一方面,光合微生物能把阳光转化为生物柴油。某些海藻(真核生物)或者蓝细菌(原核生物)在合适的条件下,单位面积能产生的脂类生物柴油是任何植物系统的100倍甚至更多。同时还能把非脂质的生物质转化为甲烷、氢气或电能。光合微生物还有一个优势就是不需要耕地,生产生物能源的效率高到足以取代很大一部分我们社会对石化燃料的使用。

Recently, one of the most popular new energies is the renewable bio-energy, in which the most important resorce ismicroorganisms. In one approach, the energy value of various biomass residuals can be converted to socially useful energy bymicrobial communities.In a second approach,photosynthetic microorganisms convert sunlight into bio-diesel,such as certain algae （eukaryotes）or cyano-bacteria （prokaryotes）.Under proper conditions, these photosynthetic microorganisms can produce lipids forbio-diesel with yields per unit area 100 times or more than possible with any plant system.And at the same time,the non-lipidbiomass can be converted to methane,hydrogen,or electricity. What＂ s more photosynthetic micro- organisms have anotheradvantage that they do not require arable land.In a word,algae or cyano-bacteria may be the best option to produce bio-energy atrates high enough to replace a substantial fraction of our society＂ s use of fossil fuels.