Biological new energy storage

Can biologically based energy storage be used to store renewable electricity?

Finally, as we discuss in this article, a crucial innovation will be the development of biologically based storage technologies that use Earth-abundant elements and atmospheric CO 2 to store renewable electricity at high efficiency, dispatchability and scalability.

Can ATP and other biological energy storage molecules be produced continuously?

We show how ATP and other biological energy storage molecules can be produced continuously at −0.6 V and further demonstrate that more complex biological processes, such as RNA and protein synthesis from DNA, can also be powered by electricity.

Can biological systems be powered by electricity?

However, to directly power biological systems with electricity, electrical energy needs to be converted into ATP, the universal energy currency of life. Using synthetic biology, we designed a minimal “electrobiological module,” the AAA cycle, that allows direct regeneration of ATP from electricity.

Can rewired carbon fixation solve energy storage problems?

Engineered electroactive microbes could address many of the limitations of current energy storage technologies by enabling rewired carbon fixation, a process that spatially separates reactions that are normally carried out together in a photosynthetic cell and replaces the least efficient with non-biological equivalents.

How many terawatts a year can a battery store?

Despite the growing availability of electricity from renewables, one major challenge is the use and storage of electrical power, which currently amounts to ∼3 terawatts (TW) per year (ca. 28,000 TWh, ca. 100 exajoule). 1,2 Several energy storage systems have been developed, with batteries being one of the most prominent technical storage solutions.

Can a new-to-nature electrobiological module power complex cell-free biological systems?

Specifically, we aimed to realize a new-to-nature electrobiological module that (1) comprises a minimal set of biological components, (2) does not involve membrane-bound charge separation, and (3) can be coupled to other in vitro modules, providing a direct way to power complex cell-free biological systems with electricity (Figure 1 C).