The Carbon Recycling Network: Converting waste derived GHG into chemicals, fuels and animal feed
Two of the greatest challenges facing society are the future sustainable production of chemicals, fuels and protein for animal feed, while at the same time reducing GHG emissions. One of the few, readily available UK feedstocks are single carbon gases, generated either as side products of existing industrial processes or through the deliberate processing of biomass wastes and residues. They are available in high volumes and at low cost UK-wide. Autotrophic or phototrophic microbial chassis able to utilise these resources can be engineered to synthesise a broad array of requisite molecules in scalable biological processes. The Carbon Recycling Network will focus on the development of the requisite engineered chassis and the required scalable processes. It will expand the scope of the previous NIBB – C1net, which focussed specifically on gas fermentation. The Carbon Recycling Network will be underpinned by sustainable exploitation of AD-derived biogas (CO2 and CH4) as a feedstock for C1 chassis process development.
