From the generation of emissions-neutral fuels to the improvement of energy efficiency: the role of biotechnology in the global energy challenge

Energy is a constant in our lives and plays a fundamental role as a driver of economic growth, social development, and an indispensable element in guaranteeing the quality of life of people. The consumption of various types of energy by society currently places us in an alarming scenario due to their impact on the environment.

Oil, natural gas, or coal stand out as some of the most widely used energy sources globally. Every year, as a consequence of energy produced through these fuels, millions of tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere, pointing to these fossil fuels as the main contributors to climate change.

According to United Nations figures, coal, oil, and gas account for over 75% of total global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions. The European Union's goals in combating climate change and the European Green Deal aim to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (from the current 40%) and legally enforce climate neutrality by 2050. Energy is one of the foundations of the global challenge posed by climate change, but also a key element in its solution, which involves reducing dependence on fossil fuels and investing in alternative energy sources that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable. This is a challenge that biotechnology has been working on for years to provide answers.

Biotechnology contributes to sustainable innovation in multiple ways. Bioenergy and biofuels are gaining increasing importance as key factors in the development of renewable energy sources. But biotechnology also addresses this challenge through processes that actively contribute to environmental sustainability, such as biological treatment of waste, wastewater, atmospheric emissions, or improving energy efficiency.

Biotechnology works on processes and products that are alternatives to those conventionally employed with the mission of reducing the environmental footprint of human activities. In this regard, noteworthy are biotechnologically-derived active ingredients for agriculture such as biostimulants or biopesticides, alternative protein sources, in vitro meat development, bio-based chemicals, or biopolymers.

Sustainable biotechnological innovation and development: bioenergy and biofuels

"Bioenergy and biofuels encompass alternatives such as biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas, biomethane, biohydrogen, or biomass. Agri-food by-products, depending on their nature and the applied technology, can be transformed into one or another of these alternatives," explains Begoña Ruiz, Director of Technologies at AINIA, a company with over 30 years of experience in driving competitiveness of companies through innovation.

"At AINIA, we have specialized in the field of anaerobic digestion because it is a versatile solution that allows for the utilization of a wide range of by-products, obtaining comprehensive utilization in the form of renewable gas (biogas-biomethane, biohydrogen), and digestate for use as fertilizer," Ruiz explains.

Biogas emerges as one of the renewable energies with the most potential. "It is generated from the anaerobic digestion of organic by-products, such as agri-food residues, household waste, or sewage sludge," she explains. She highlights the advantages offered by biogas due to its versatility, as it "can be used to generate heat and/or electricity, or purified to obtain a gas similar to natural gas and injected into the grid or used as fuel in adapted vehicles."

"Not only is renewable energy generated, but the digestate is a fertilizing material, transforming the input waste and by-products into a resource. In addition to the above, anaerobic digestion can be the basis of biorefinery processes, as it allows for the extraction of streams such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs) or CO2 which are carbon sources for other fermentative processes to obtain bioproducts such as biopolymers, bio-based chemicals, proteins, or cosmetic actives," concludes the Director of Technologies at AINIA.

The development of new bioprocesses and bioproducts

The traditional economic model based on the use of fossil energy sources has evolved over the last decades towards a more sustainable horizon, due not only to its harmful environmental impact but also to the increase in prices and limitations posed by its finite nature.

Biomass has great potential as a sustainable alternative. Although the use of biomass as an energy source is not new, doing so efficiently is. This is the case of CLaMber (Castilla-La Mancha Bio-Economy Region), whose R&D biorefinery has two main lines of research: fermentation with pure culture and anaerobic digestion for the valorization of fermentable wet biomass.

"As long as there is human activity, local, and biodegradable as a substitute for fossil-origin materials, biotechnology will be greatly enhanced thanks to the biodegradability that biomass presents compared to petroleum," argues Javier Mena Sanz, Scientific Coordinator-Biorefinery R&D+I at CLaMber.

Until now, fossil materials have been used to produce products through thermal and/or chemical processes with or without catalysts but, with the use of biomass, "fermentative processes in which bacteria, fungi, or yeasts transform biomass into bioproducts, including biofuels, or even the use of plants as biofactories are gaining ground at a rapid pace," he emphasizes, highlighting that "we have the advantage that any biological process is always more profitable than its chemical counterpart."

Decarbonization and energy efficiency improvement strategies

Biotechnology is not only pioneering but also instrumental in the search for new energy sources. When we ask ourselves what elements of a strategy to combat climate change can lead to climate neutrality through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, elements such as energy efficiency in buildings, processes, and vehicles used, for example, stand out in this roadmap towards zero emissions.

This reality places us in front of the necessary decarbonization process. "We advise on topics such as thermal energy technology, measures to improve plant efficiency, decarbonization strategies, and comprehensive analysis of energy flow, along with their corresponding measurement concepts. Our specialty is comprehensive energy optimization. We also take into account clean rooms, ventilation systems, and all supply infrastructure, including energy centers with a unique holistic approach," explain from ZETA, a group specialized in the design, construction, automation, digitization, and qualification of customized biopharmaceutical plants for aseptic process solutions.

"The development of decarbonization concepts entails the challenge of achieving harmony between the expectations of stakeholders (top-down perspective) with an internal perspective. This bottom-up perspective is based on detailed technological assessments showing how much the depth of the carbon footprint could be reduced under given technological and economic conditions. A comprehensive vision includes all areas and activities of the business," they detail.

As part of the analyses, current and future measures of environmental protection are evaluated from both a specifically climatic and economic perspective. "Simulations and sensitivity analyses are added to this. The result is cost-benefit relationships that show how much CO2 is reduced by implementing the measures and what costs are involved. Measures to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions can be developed for both biopharmaceutical plants that are still in the planning phase and those that are already operational," they conclude.

Ángel Luis Jiménez