At the Surrey biofuel plant in British Columbia (Canada), more than 115,000 tons of organic waste are processed each year to generate renewable natural gas (RNG).
But now, a team from the University of British Columbia (UBC) has taken a step further: they identified a new bacterium from the Natronincolaceae group that optimizes this process even under previously blocking conditions.
A discovery that redefines microbial efficiency
Biogas production through anaerobic digestion is a century-old technology, but its efficiency depends on the stability of microbial communities.
The microbe discovered by the team led by Dr. Ryan Ziels keeps the production of methane from acetic acid active, even in environments with high concentrations of ammonia, a toxic compound for many microorganisms.
“This finding does not change the base technology, but it does improve its performance and avoids costly interruptions,” explained Dr. Steven Hallam, co-author of the study published in Nature Microbiology.
How organic waste is transformed into energy
The process includes several stages:
- Anaerobic digestion: microbes break down waste into simple compounds
- Conversion into organic acids, such as acetic
- Transformation into methane, the main component of RNG
This gas goes through a treatment system that includes:
- Initial compression
- Chemical scrubbing to remove CO₂ and H₂S
- Depressurization and degassing (flash tank and stripper)
- Final drying to prevent corrosion
The result: RNG with 98% purity, ready to be injected into the distribution network or used as vehicle fuel.
Practical and environmental implications
- Greater energy efficiency: more robust and productive digesters
- Reduction of emissions: RNG replaces fossil fuels
- Less waste in landfills: locally utilized
- Modular application: adaptable to rural communities and agricultural areas
- Synergy with public policies: strengthens energy transition goals in countries like Canada and Germany
Environmental biotechnology: precision and automation
Thanks to techniques like stable carbon labeling, researchers tracked which microorganisms were active when the known ones disappeared. This allowed them to identify invisible species and understand how they collaborate in waste transformation.
Today, many biogas plants have digital monitoring, automatic control of temperature, pH, and organic load, and systems that allow automating the process with precision.
Circular bioeconomy: transforming waste into resources
This discovery aligns with global initiatives promoting a circular bioeconomy, where waste is not discarded but revalued through biological processes. It even opens new research lines to mitigate plastic pollution in oceans, leveraging specialized microbial communities.
The conclusion is clear: behind every liter of biogas there is engineering, applied microbiology, and cutting-edge technology. The real challenge lies in continuously improving systems and better understanding the microorganisms that make a just, decentralized, and nature-based energy transition possible.
