If you would like to be considered for the Industry Lead Role, please put the project in the subject line and email your resume to Eric@BoulderInnovationCenter.com.
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Summary
Cost competitive conversion of CO2 into useful material (vs. storage, disposal, or fines) will be a large global market. NREL scientist have developed a closed-looped photo-synthetic process utilizing a genetically engineered strain of Synechocystis to convert CO2 into multiple useful materials. So far, potential cost-competitive solutions include ethylene and AKG (Alpha-Ketoglutrate). This MAP project will analyze the potential market opportunity for this platform solution at scale.

Description of Technology
NREL scientists have engineered the carbon metabolism of the freshwater photosynthetic cyanobacterium, Synechosystis to create a strain that produces ethylene photosynthetically. Additionally, they have created a genetically engineered strain of Synechocystis used for photosynthetic conversion of CO2 and water to to AKG on an industrial scale.

Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) is widely used as an organic synthesis intermediate, a medical and biochemical reagent, and as a nutritional additive in food and sports drinks. Typically, it is produced from a derivative of petroleum and concentrated hydrochloric acid. However, the rising cost of petroleum has led to the exploration and development of alternative, biological production systems for fuels and chemicals. Through metabolic engineering of a strain of Synechocystis, a gene delete mutant was derived that shows robust growth similar to the wild-type under standard laboratory conditions. However, metabolite distribution is altered in this mutant. Under specific conditions the mutant produces high levels of the AKG, about 30% of cell dry weight, which is on the order of 10,000-fold increase from the wild type. The extrapolated photosynthetic production rate of the intermediate is at least 150 grams per day per 1,000L reactor at a cell density of 1 gram dry weight per liter. This genetically engineered cyanobacterial strain has potential application for the production of the AKG in a continuous "milking" (verses batch culture) process, which improves energy conversion efficiency and reduces operational cost. Principles established in this innovation can be applied to other cyanobacteria and algae.

Ethylene is the most produced gaseous organic compound in the chemical industry and future demand is forecasted to grow at an average of 4.1% per year. It can be used directly as a fuel, or serve as a precursor for longer carbon chain compound synthesis. Currently, ethylene is produced commercially by the steam cracking of petroleum-derived feedstocks. However, the rising cost of petroleum has led to the exploration and development of alternative, biological production systems for fuels and chemicals. NREL scientists have engineered the carbon metabolism of Synechosystis to create a strain that produces ethylene photosynthetically using a photobioreactor that produces and capture the ethylene It maintains production in an extended stationary phase of at least ten days, when cell densities remain stable and cells function as ethylene-producing catalysts, using C02 and water as the ultimate carbon and hydrogen sources. The estimated photosynthetic ethylene production rate is at least 41 kilograms per acre per year, and it is still being improved. This system allows for ethylene to be produced continuously for months, without additional nutrient input. Ethylene can be collected from the head space, and catalytically polymerized to produce fuels and chemicals.

Stage of Progress
Bench-scale production and testing of various growth conditions to improve production rates.

IP Status
A United States Provisional Patent Application has been filed.
Available for licensing and currently seeking sponsored research opportunities.

If you would like to be considered for the Industry Lead Role, please put the project in the subject line and email your resume to Eric@BoulderInnovationCenter.com.