Biofuel Innovation by Microbial Diversity

Biofuels represent a viable alternative to the use of fossil fuels. They contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission and do not compete with agricultural land. However, biofuels are not yet capable of replacing the current energy matrix based on fossil fuels because they cannot compete with standard fuels such as diesel and gasoline. Therefore, innovation is necessary to promote technical, economical, and environmental viability of biofuels. For this purpose, the marine realm is a promising source of bioresources to promote innovation in biofuel production. The marine biomass can be converted into biofuels such as biodiesel, bioethanol, and biogases (i. e., methane and hydrogen) through microbial activity. Microbial diversity plays a fundamental role in marine ecosystems by recycling of organic matter, which is a reflection of the vast genetic diversity associated to the marine microbial species available for biotechnological exploitation. The present study provides an overview of the importance of microbial fuels and presents innovative findings which can be applied to the production of biofuels in the near future.