New fuels proposed, from deepwater bacteria

In Massachusetts, researchers at Harvard Medical School are working to use a deepwater bacteria to create octanol, which can be refined into a number of transportation fuels.

The bacteria, Shewanella oneidensis, which produces electricity when feeding on carbon poor foods.  The researchers hope to reengineer the bacteria so that with electricity and carbon dioxide, the bacteria would produce octanol.  The work is funded under one of thirteen ARPA-E as an “electrofuel”.   At this stage of the research, the researchers are working to produce a proof of concept.