HYDROGEN OUTPUT OF ALGAE BOOSTED WITH GENETIC MODIFICATION
Hydrogen might burn clean, producing only water as a by-product, but currently over 90% of the hydrogen produced in the US comes from fossil fuels. Although algae can produce hydrogen using photosynthesis, it was believed that this only occurred for a few minutes at dawn, resulting in limited amounts of the gas.
However, tests by a team led by Dr. Iftach Yacoby, head of TAU ’s renewable energy laboratory, have revealed that algae actually produces hydrogen throughout the day. Further tests revealed that the enzyme hydrogenase, which breaks down in the presence of oxygen, was integral to algae’s hydrogen production. Through genetic modification, the team members were able to remove the oxygen so the hydrogenase is able to keep producing hydrogen, resulting in a boost in hydrogen production of 400%.
