Targeted bioengineering and systems biology for solar powered hydrogen production in green algal cells (2008-2010)
Abstract
This project is embedded in the Solar Bio-Fuels Consortium, which is engineering green algal cells and advanced bioreactor systems to catalyse solar powered H2 production from water. Using sea water, H2 fuel production can be coupled to desalination. Our H2 production levels are already world leading (Stm6 mutant patented) but must be enhanced further to compete for the rapidly increasing clean energy market ($500bn per year by 2050). Here we will conduct target oriented metabolic engineering to improve the efficiency of H2 production from ~2% towards 7-10% which is required for economic H2 production.
