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Team:Bielefeld-CeBiTec/HumanPractice/Synenergene/Applications
From 2014.igem.org
SYNENERGENE
Applications
For the purpose of thinking about application scenarios we get in contact with many different companies.
First of all we did some brainstorming about different possibilites for an application. After this we did some research about plausible ideas. We used this research as a base for our contact with different firms and persons.
As a background for all applications we first talked to Dr. Arnold Sauter who does research about technological impact assessment for the german Bundestag (TAB). He told us that red and white biotechnology as industrial application is routinely used and socially accepted in Germany for more than 20 years. Because of this and the fact that we use a closed system for fermentation our project may be applicable from the political side of view. As long as the bacterial culture is destroyed after fermentation the use of genetical modified organisms is not restricted.
With this background we workend on several application scenarios which we seperated into different categories. The categories are based on the differentiation of our modules: Electricity, carbon dioxide and isobutanol.
fig. 8: Scenario for industry
The main idea of our project is to store the energy which is produced at times of a day when too much energy is produced. For example there is an energy peak at night at wind parks which cannot be stored efficiently. This leads to our first application (Note for following application figures: yellow means electricity, gray means carbon dioxide, green means isobutanol). We think of combining our production system with a wind engine (figure 4). Energy can be used together with atmospheric carbon dioxide to produce a product which can be transported conventionally. This system is also possible for other energy production sites like hydroelectric power stations or solar energy electric power stations. Additionally we think of fabrication of isobutanol while driving. Organization and functioning is shown in figure 5. Solar panels or the current of the car battery can be used together with the exhaust fumes of the car to produce isobutanol. The isobutanol will be added drop by drop to the fuel to replace the gas. This will increase the range of milage. At the moment we establish a cooperation with car producer companies. This application might be also possible for ships (figure 6) or space stations (figure 7). The NASA already send bacteria to the space to do experiments with them. The advantage for the space station is that the anthropogenically produced carbon dioxide is used together with electricity produced by solar sails to generate a useful product. A third idea would be to mount our project on industrial production sites which could be for example a varnish producer. A main part of varnish is isobutanol. Industrial production leads to fumes where carbon dioxide could be extracted (figure 8). Together with electricity which is produced by solar panels isobutanol will be produced. Now we additionally think of more applications at sites with carbon dioxide excess which could be for example produced by the CCS (Carbon Capture & Storage) technology. This manifold application possibilities lead to many different personas.
The needed changes for our system seems big but to add the system to a wind engine nearly no changes are needed. It is simply possible to settle the production system next to the engines to produce isobutanol. It is also imaginable to integrate the system into the wind engine stem. An application at industrial production sites can be achieved as easy as for the wind engine. By adding a fermenter, containing our modified organisms, on the envelope of a space station it is possible to implement the system. A new construction plan has to be developed for cars or ships because the system has to be integrated into existing parts.
 fig. 6: Scenario for ships |
 fig. 7: Scenario for space stations |
fig. 8: Scenario for industry |
Problem description
The main problem of today's society is the transport and storage of electricity. It is tried to cover a high amount of required energy through regenerative sources like solar, photovoltaics, wind or geothermal energy. The problem of this source is fluctuating availability. To stay safe the most part is covered through traditional energy sources. This means that surplus of energy mainly consist of regenerative energy. The surplus of energy cannot be stored efficiently so that it is wasted. A further problem is that a part of the energy will be lost during the transport. For example the rotor of wind power stations is moved by the wind which converts wind energy into mechanical energy. This mechanical energy will be converted into electricity. The conversion of energy leads to a loss of energy. Only 45% of the original energy will get to the electrical network.
The percentage of regenerative energy as an electricity source increases in Germany over the last years continuously. Wind power is one third of this.
This leads to the fact that the new sources through regenerative energy cannot be used as effective as it might be able to.
fig. x: Percentage of energy sources to the pool of regenerative sources.
Possible applications
fig. 1: Scenario for wind power station
With our project we engage these problems. We aim to store the surplus of energy by generating a product which can be combusted to produce energy again.
Our system relies on a fermenter in which bacteria grow by using electricity. The growth should be enhanced through the gain of reduction equivalents.
One application type we think of is the stationary application. With stationary application the size of the fermenter can be increased and the volume of generated product increases too. It makes sense to use sites where an surplus of energy arises. For example we are thinking of an application at wind power stations. Some of the produced energy could be used directly to produce more energy by the wind power station. It makes sense to hold the fermenter in operating state the whole time because there are some moments when the amount of surplus is very high. The problem is that the produced energy has a voltage of 10-30kV. To reduce the voltage transistors has to be built for each fermenter. The costs of this project will exceed each limit. A further development of this idea is to place our fermenter at electric power transformation substations. The needed transistors are already installed. The incoming regenerative energy would be used as the energy for the fermenter. A problem therefor is that we need continuous current for fermentation which is produced at the wind power engine but immediately transformed into alternating current.
The availability of energy through regenerative sources varies. The energy from regenerative sources in Bielefeld is never down regulated while regulation at coast regions is more common. This led to the idea to use small wind energy power engines. They have a height of 15-30 meters which results in a high sound annoyance. Until now they lack in a real application. Maybe they are a plausible base for our fermentation system.
fig. 3: Scenario for house
A second application scenario is to install our fermenter at anybody’s home. Many houses already produce regenerative energy through photovoltaic panels on the roofs. The problem of this production is that the whole amount of produced energy cannot be used by the occupants itself. Most of the energy will be delivered to electric power transformation substations. It would make sense to store the energy at home where it is produced. Therefor the fermenter would be placed in the cellar. The produced isobutanol could be extracted and stored. Applications for the isobutanol at home could be various. For example it could be added to electric machines like lawn-movers or used as an addition for the fuel of the car. Additionally isobutanol might be used as a heating substance.
fig. 2: Scenario for industry
The third application for stationary application would be at industrial production sites where isobutanol is needed. The fermenter would be placed directly on the premises. Photovoltaics would feed the bacteria in the fermenter which generate isobutanol for the productions of the company.
Conclusion
An application at home seems plausible for users of photovoltaics. The problem might be the implementation of the whole system. The heating system has to be changed to isobutanol. This leads to a dependency on the fermenter. If a problem leads to cell death of the culture in the fermenter the heating system fails.
The application for industrial production sites sounds very inefficient at this stage of development. Presumably the isobutanol is much cheaper to buy for the company than to build up a large fermenter which makes the company dependent.
The first application for the wind power station looks the most feasible one. If the system is installed at electric power transformation substations, unused energy could be taken for production. A large amount of regenerative energy is surplus. If there is a problem with the culture in the fermenter which leads to the cell death no isobutanol can be produced. In the first application, the problem can be solved because not the total volume of isobutanol is directly needed.
Wind power for example is a seminal regenerative energy source. The number of wind power stations has increased throughout the last years.
fig. x: Development of wind engines from 1993 to 2014
fig. x: Distribution of the Germany-wide Cumulative Capacity across the Regions, Status: 31 December 2013 (www.windguard.de)
fig. x: Development of the Average Capacity of Land-based WTG’s Erected and Cumulatively Present in the Turbine Portfolio in Germany, Status: 31 December 2013 (www.windguard.de)
fig. x: Development of the Annual Installed and Cumulative Capacity (MW) from Land-based Wind Energy in Germany, Status: 31 December 2013 (www.windguard.de)
In addition the development of the different states shows that more wind power stations will be build throughout the next years.
fig. x: Addition to Wind Energy in the German States, Status: 31 December 2013 (www.windguard.de)
Problem description
The increasing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is one reason for the global warming. Beside natural carbon dioxide sources there is a huge contribution from humans. There are many attempts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. An alternative strategy could be the fixation of this particular gas from the air.
fig. x: Greenhouse gas CO2 emission worldwide.
Possible applications
 fig. 2: Scenario for CCS technology |
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fig. 2: Scenario for industry |
Our modified bacterium uses carbon dioxide for its growth and the product synthesis. It could be able to convert the atmospheric carbon dioxide to oxygen and an organic carbon molecule. Important for this process is a high carbon dioxide concentration in the environment of our bacterium. Possible sources of concentrated carbon dioxide are depots which are currently filled while applying carbon capture and storage. This technology was developed to reduce emission of carbon dioxide by pumping it into the ground. There are many fears of leaky storages. Our system could be applied to empty such critical storages and store the carbon in another form.
Another application is the use of emission gases from industrial plants. Instead of pumping carbon dioxide under the ground it could be used as growth substrate for our bacterium. Of course this is only useful if the carbon dioxide creating process is not used for electricity production.
The bacterium needs electric power for the carbon dioxide fixation process. The above mentioned application requires a renewable form of electricity generation to provide plenty of electric power. This could be achieved either by increased use of solar and wind energy or by future technologies like nuclear fusion.
