Energy

Demand for alternative energy sources has caused microbiologists and others to look at microbes as potential sources of alternative energy. Possibilities include the use of microbial processes in photosynthesis to potentially produce a method of converting solar energy to produce hydrogen. Still other bacteria, produce hydrogen as a waste product. Microbiologists are also looking at the possibilities of converting microbial biomass to electricity while other researchers are working to discover if bacteria could be used in a fuel cell to convert waste to electricity.

Energy Sources Bacterial Formation of Nano-scaled Materials from Group 15 and 16 Elements, Biogenic Methane Generation from Coal and Other Geopolymers, Microbial Fuel Cells, Production of Nanomaterials of Group 15 and 16 Elements Human Health Impacts Impacts of Energy Resources on Human Health and Environmental Quality

• USGS Energy Resources Program
  

Scientists* Bunnell, Joseph E. Jones, Elizabeth J. Miller, Laurence G. Oremland, Ronald S. Voytek, Mary

back to top

*this list of USGS scientists involved in energy and microbiology is likely to be incomplete