DNV and Ginkgo BioWorks With Potentially Game Changing Technology for Utilizing CO2
Most biofuels are produced from plants or algae through photosynthesis; however, photosynthesis is an inefficient process. Electrofuels bypass photosynthesis altogether by utilizing microorganisms that don’t need sunlight to grow or produce biofuels. These microorganisms directly use energy and carbon from electrolytically-derived formate to produce liquid fuels from carbon dioxide (CO2). Such a process is much more efficient than photosynthesis. Electrolytic production of formate from CO2 can utilize electricity from a variety of renewable sources. The flexibility of electricity and the avoidance of the need for direct sunlight translate to greater flexibility in the location of such an electrofuel facility.
Ginkgo has validated that their genetically modified microbes can utilize a feedstock of formate produced from CO2 by DNV. DNV’s ECFORM process has met many of the metrics required for successful commercialization of the electrolytic production of formic acid and formate salt from CO2. The combination of Ginkgo’s engineered microbes and DNV’s demonstration-scale reactor technology represent the largest step towards scale-up of Electrofuels production to date.
“The development of the electrofuels technology is an important advance in the utilization and recycling of CO2 providing a pathway for sustainability and self-sufficiency” says Narasi Sridhar, Program Director in DNV Research & Innovation. Recently, Gingko announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a Notice of Allowance for U.S. Patent Application Number 13/285,919 entitled "Methods and Systems for Chemoautotrophic Production of Organic Compounds." DNV has applied for patents on a number of technologies pertinent to its ECFORM process.
About DNV
Det Norske Veritas (http://www.dnv.com ) is a leading risk management company. Its mission is to safeguard life, property and the environment. Established in 1864, the company has a global presence with a network of more than 10,000 technical, business and risk experts working out of 300 offices in 100 countries. Recognized for its independence and integrity, DNV is a highly respected validation and verification firm, providing trust and confidence to all stakeholder groups.
Our position paper on CO2 utilization – Electrochemical Conversion of CO2:
http://www.dnv.com/binaries/dnv-position_paper_co2_utilization_tcm4-445820.pdf
About Ginkgo BioWorks
Ginkgo BioWorks (http://ginkgobioworks.com) is a leading synthetic biology company founded in 2008. At Ginkgo, "the organism is the product." Ginkgo organism engineers design microbes to specification for customers in energy, pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, and agriculture.
Contact DNV
Narasi Sridhar
Narasi.sridhar@DNV.com
Contact Ginkgo BioWorks:
Jason Kelly
jason@ginkgobioworks.com