New tools for bioprocess analysis and optimization of microbial fuel production

Biofuels, that is, nonconventional liquid and gaseous fuels derived from renewable sources, such as crop plants, forest products, algae, or waste materials, are widely promoted as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and a means to secure our energy supply (Tilman et al. 2009). Other potential benefits of biofuel production are the creation of new, local employment (e.g., in rural areas) and the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases (Fargione et al. 2008; Duke et al. 2013). A broader definition of 428biofuels (that we will use in this chapter) includes fuels produced from other renewable sources, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), exploited by biodiesel- or hydrogen (H2)-producing phototrophic organisms.