Biomanufacturing from gaseous C1 feedstocks: A perspective on opportunities and challenges

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Energy Nexus

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nexus.2025.100601· OSTI ID:3005981

Rachbauer, Lydia; Awashti, Deepika; Sanz, Sara Tejedor; Panich, Justin; Bansal, Neha; Pham, Diep N; Toppari, Emili; Sundstrom, Eric; Simmons, Blake A

Single-carbon (C1) substrates including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane are abundantly available from natural and anthropogenic sources and present potential feedstocks for biomanufacturing. Utilizing these C1 gas feedstocks in bioprocesses for sustainable production of chemicals and fuels could prove pivotal in removing excess carbon from the atmosphere. This perspective describes the spectrum and sources of CO2, CO, and CH4 and examines emerging opportunities in microbial bioconversion and bioelectrochemical processes for these feedstocks. We discuss existing challenges in bioprocess development that currently restrict the commercialization of C1 biomanufacturing technologies. We detail different aerobic and anaerobic bioconversion approaches for C1 feedstocks employing pure and mixed cultures and examine the suitability of each scenario for producing specific molecules. Beyond strain engineering and bioprocess constraints, we address often overlooked factors that limit the development of efficient and reliable bioprocesses, including technology availability for research and safety considerations. We then discuss and recommend the necessary safety features and technological research tools for developing fast, safe, and efficient bioprocesses using gaseous feedstocks to support the scale-up and commercialization of C1 biomanufacturing technologies. This perspective provides an overview of the current scientific and industrial state of the art and offers insights into future technological needs that must be addressed to realize the potential of biomanufacturing from gaseous feedstocks. Synopsis: C1 gases offer a sustainable feedstock for biomanufacturing of fuels and chemicals. This work analyzes bioconversion methods, challenges, and safety considerations, and emphasizes the need for improved technology to enable commercialization.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy; USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) (EE-3B); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER) (SC-BER)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 3005981
• Journal Information: Energy Nexus, Journal Name: Energy Nexus Vol. 20
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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