Fossil fuel combustion provides most of the worlds energy needs, as well as most of the CO2 that is accumulating in the upper atmosphere with implications for serious global warming. With increasing energy demands, methods to sequester this by-product CO2 must be developed. This project will develop a novel biological method to react CO2 with H2S to simultaneously (1) convert CO2 into cellular biomass for animal feed protein, and (2) replace the expensive and energy intensive methods currently used to produce elemental sulfur from sour gases. In Phase I, laboratory fermentation experiments will be performed to define the bioreactor design, optimize the culture conditions, and scale-up parameters. Marketability of the biomass and sulfur produced will be evaluated, and process economics will be projected for a commercial demonstration.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: In the U.S. alone, the technology could reduce CO2 emissions by 6.5 million tons per year while saving up to $1.5 billion to remove H2S. Concurrent benefits include the possibility of building 125 new plants, creating up to 10,000 new jobs, and adding $300 million to the economy
