Table Scraps to Biofuel: A Microbe Flips Food Waste Into Power

Cooking up some energy.

STARTER STATS

• Canadians waste roughly 21.18 million metric tonnes of food annually

• Avoidable food waste amounts to approximately $58 billion every year

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A newly identified bacterium could be a game-changer for waste-to-energy systems. UBC researchers found that the new microbe (belonging to the Natronococcales family) helps convert food waste into biofuel energy more reliably and efficiently than previously possible.

As a result, power plants that convert organic waste into renewable natural gas could become much more productive. The findings could also support design improvements in anaerobic digestion, thereby improving feedstock.

The team has already begun work on expanding the technique to break down other challenging waste types like microplastics.

"Converting waste to methane is a cooperative process involving multiple interacting microbes. This newly identified bacterium is one of the key players making it happen."

— Dr. Steven Hallam

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