Towards Sustainable Energy: The Requisite Role of Microorganisms in the Production of Biogas and Bioethanol

Abstract

Increased energy consumption coupled with the ongoing climate change are urging us to develop more sustainable energy alternatives, including biofuels produced from renewable biomass. Our heavy reliance on fossil-derived fuels has not only gained intense public attention in recent years, but has also prompted us to intensively study the production of sustainable biofuels from renewable energy sources via microbial fermentation. Owing to the recent advances and availability of state-of-the-art molecular tools, our knowledge about anaerobic microorganisms and their direct and indirect contributions in the production of different biofuels have increased tremendously. Anaerobic microorganisms are mainly utilized for commercial production of biofuels such as; biogas and fuel alcohols from renewable organic matter, while photosynthetic microorganisms convert inorganic carbon and water to potential fuels (e.g. fuel alcohols) and fuel precursors (e.g. biomass, starch, lipids). Although metabolically engineered microorganisms, programmed to redirect renewable carbon sources into desired fuel products, are contemplated as best choices to obtain high volumetric productivity and yield, however, native populations of anaerobic microorganisms are still considered the primary choice for the production of biogas and bioethanol. These anaerobic microorganisms responsible for different degradation pathways and their functions in anaerobic digesters are continuously being updated. In this review, we discuss the essential role of anaerobic microbes in biogas and bioethanol production via consolidated anaerobic process. Additionally, key enzymatic reactions and microbiota involved in the degradation steps and in the production pathways are specifically highlighted. We also discussed the challenges that still exist for biofuel production from native populations of anaerobic microorganisms and their possible solutions.

Advancements and Innovations in Harnessing Microbial Processes for Enhanced Biogas Production from Waste Materials

“…Microorganisms play a pivotal role in this technology, so it is imperative to comprehend the microbial mechanisms in order to facilitate the development of biogas plants with enhanced efficiency. Ekwebelem et al [29] and Akinsemolu et al [30] studied the role of microorganisms in producing renewable energy for sustainable development. Ferdes , et al [31] and Kasinath et al [11] discussed the role of microorganisms in pretreatment processing, while Nwokolo and Enebe [32] summarized the significance of microbial community in an anaerobic bioreactor.…”

Unveiling the Roles of Microorganisms in Promoting Environmental Sustainability

“…They can be utilized directly as a source of biomass for fuel generation or indirectly as a source of alternative fuels via the excretion of valuable compounds. Furthermore, microorganisms can also be utilized in microbial fuel cells to convert chemical compounds into electricity (Ekwebelem et al, 2020).…”