In the Microbial Conversion Technologies research group, we focus on the use of microorganisms for solving some of the great societal, environmental and technical challenges that we as a society has to deal with.
CO2 conversion and Power-to-X. Our main focus is the conversion of CO2 from industrial sources to fuels or chemicals through power-to-X, where reducing equivalents are produced from renewable electricity and hydrogen.
A large part of our work focus on design of new solutions for converting CO2 from biogas production or from flue gasses produced by combustion. We work on technologies as well as their place in the process and value chain.
The power-to-X process chain for converting CO2 from industrial sources to fuels and chemicals by use of microorganisms.
(Source. Modified from Kofoed et al, from the book “Emerging technologies and Biological Systems for Biogas Upgrading” (Elsevier)).
Nature is our toolbox. We work with the development of different platforms using naturally occurring microorganisms, for conversion of CO2 to products like biomethane and acetic acid. In addition, we work with mitigation of both odor and greenhouse gasses from agriculture together with the group Air Treatment Technology
Scale. We develop and work with bioreactors and systems at different technical maturity and scale, including both laboratory-, pilot- and full-scale systems. As part of the development our goal is to obtain a deeper understanding of the microorganisms involved in the processes to hereby enable optimization and control the biological processes.
A large part of our activities take place in collaboration with both academic and industrial partners in different industrial and academic R&D projects. Below is a list of current projects, involved partners, as well as the involved scientists, engineers and students from Microbial Conversion Technologies.
APPLAUSE – Apple Aarhus University Renewable Energy.
Funded by the Apple Inc.
Aim. Development of knowledge and technology for capture and conversion of CO2 from industrial sources.
Partners. Apple Inc. & Aarhus University.
Group members involved. Mads (Scientist), Simon F (Scientist), Jean (Scientist), Nicolaas (Scientist), + 2 Students. In close collaboration with Prof. Lars DM Ottosen, Senior researcher Henrik Møller, Associate professor Gorm Andreasen.
InjectMe - Injection technology for H2-mediated production of methane.
Funded by the Danish Energy Agency (EUDP).
Partners. Landia A/S, University of Queensland, Aarhus University
Involved group members. Monisha (Scientist), Simon K (Engineer), +1 Student
Deployment and operation of pilot-scale reactor as part of the InjectMe project (Source, Aarhus University & Michael VW Kofoed).
PEAK – Reduction of peak odor emissions from biogas plants.
Funded by the Danish Energy Agency (EUDP).
Partners. BBK Bio Airclean A/S, Consibio ApS, Nature Energy, Aarhus University
Involved group members. Mohsen (Scientist), + 2 Students and in close collaboration with Prof. Anders Feilberg.
Full-scale filter designed and constructed as part of the R&D project PEAK at the Aarhus University research biogas plant. (Source. Aarhus University)
ReMeSh – Redox Mediated Microbial CO2 Reduction.
Funded by The Novo Nordic Foundation – Interdisciplinary Program.
Partners. Prof. Anders Bentien (AU) and Prof. Jeppe Lund Nielsen (AAU).
Group Members. Paola (Scientist) in close collaboration with Georgios (Scientist) and Hugo (Scientist)
ZeroWastePilot
Funded by the Danish Energy Agency.
Partners. Biowaste2Gas ApS, Dansk Biofiber og Gødning A/S, Aarhus University.
Group Members. Simon K (Engineer).
INTERMET– INTEgreret Reduktion af METhan-emission fra husdyrgødning
Funded by Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries of Denmark
Partners. SEGES, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), different departments of Aarhus University.
Group Members. Herald (Scientist), in close collaboration with Frederik (Scientist) and Prof. Anders Feilberg
CORC - The Novo Nordisk Foundation CO2 Research Center. In close collaboration with Prof. Lars DM Ottosen and other excellent researchers of CORC.
Development of knowledge and technology for capture and conversion of CO2 from industrial sources.
Involved group members: Amalie (Scientist), Madhuni (Scientist), Rubens (Scientist), + 2 Students.
BioTechCCU - Biotechnology for converting CO2 to platform chemicals.
Partners. University of Southern Denmark, Nature Energy, Danish Gas Technology Centre, Aarhus University
Group members. Paola (Scientist)
