Scientists complete starch synthesis from CO2, revolutionary for agricultural

Post by ghastmaster » Sun, Sep 26, 2021, 7:56 PM UTC

rozab wrote: post #10

> Preliminary lab tests show that synthetic starch is about 8.5 times more efficient than starch produced by conventional agriculture. Under the condition of sufficient energy supply and current technical parameters, the annual production of starch of 1 cubic meter bioreactor is equivalent to the annual production of starch of 5 mu (0.33 hectare) of corn in China. Ah of course, leaving aside the small issue of energy…

Post by jpollock » Sun, Sep 26, 2021, 8:08 PM UTC

Post by xchaotic » Sun, Sep 26, 2021, 9:14 PM UTC

yazaddaruvala wrote: post #30

sk2020 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There may be places where you would want access to starches, agriculture is not feasible, transportation costs are prohibitive, but you also have abundant power. I’m struggling to think of a place that meets all those criteria.

Mars?

Post by xchaotic » Sun, Sep 26, 2021, 9:19 PM UTC

ChuckMcM wrote: post #13

mrfusion wrote: post #2

Can anyone explain how this works?

See jarenmf's comment. Basically the CO2 is catalyzed into Methane using an 'inorganic catalyst', there is this paper[1] which uses a ruthenium catalyst at 400 degrees C to do it. Then the methane is consumed by some genetically modified bacteria (probably e.coli) first to convert it to an intermediate product, and then with a second organism to convert it into starch. In the article they talk about genetically modif…

Post by You-Are-Right » Sun, Sep 26, 2021, 9:29 PM UTC

breakyerself wrote: post #24

swiley wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That depends on how much energy is required. It does mean that settlements in places like the Yukon and Northern Alaska are now much more interesting.

I think energy is going to get a lot cheaper in the coming years. Especially at times when renewables are overproducing.