IIT Guwahati develops technology to convert methane and carbon dioxide into eco-friendly biofuel

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati developed an advanced biological method to convert methane and carbon dioxide into cleaner biofuels using methanotrophic bacteria. The research team developed a fully biological process that uses Methylosinus trichosporium, a type of methanotrophic bacteria, to convert methane and carbon dioxide into bio-methanol under mild operating conditions. While turning methane and carbon dioxide into liquid fuels can reduce emissions and provide renewable energy, existing chemical methods are energy-intensive, expensive, and produce toxic by-products, limiting their scalability. The innovative two-stage process involves: Capturing methane to generate bacteria-based biomass Utilising the biomass to convert carbon dioxide into methanol The team further optimised the process using advanced engineering techniques to improve gas solubility, significantly enhancing methanol yields.