At the heart of efficient biogas production lies a complex microbial consortium, and our research focuses on hydrogenotrophic methanogens—remarkable archaea that consume hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce methane. By enriching these organisms and providing additional hydrogen produced through renewable electrolysis, we can achieve biological methanation where CO₂ in raw biogas is converted to additional methane, increasing methane concentration from typical 50-70% to over 95% directly in the digester. Using molecular techniques including 16S rRNA gene sequencing and isotope tracing, we track methanogen populations and correlate community composition with biogas production rates and quality. This research is crucial because it enables biogas to be directly used in vehicles or natural gas grids without costly purification, making decentralized renewable energy economically viable for rural communities. Additionally, it reduces methane emissions from organic waste while producing nutrient-rich digestate for organic fertilizer. We investigate optimal digester parameters, co-digestion strategies that combine various waste streams, and the integration of hydrogen injection systems, demonstrating how innovations at the microbial level can scale to transform national energy infrastructure and waste management systems.
Our research investigates how biogas systems can deliver flexible, dispatchable renewable energy that complements intermittent solar and wind power, while contributing to carbon sequestration and promoting circular economy principles. We investigate integrated systems that convert agricultural residues, municipal organic waste, and industrial biomass materials, which currently contribute to pollution through open burning or landfill disposal, into clean energy. This work is particularly crucial for India, where rapid economic growth generates enormous quantities of waste that could instead be converted into valuable energy resources. We examine how to optimize energy system integration, exploring novel substrates such as lignocellulosic biomass that require pretreatment, and investigating how biogas facilities can be scaled from individual farms to community-level operations serving multiple stakeholders. By improving both quantity and quality of biogas output through microbial optimization while simultaneously addressing waste management challenges, we demonstrate pathways for achieving multiple benefits: reducing greenhouse gas emissions from waste decomposition, displacing fossil fuels with carbon-neutral sources, creating economic value from burdensome materials, and potentially achieving negative emissions through carbon capture integrated with bioenergy production.
The project “Harnessing Microalgae for Carbon Capture and Hard Carbon Synthesis in the Development of Sodium-Ion Battery Technology”, supported by the Department of Biotechnology under the BioE3 policy, represents a cutting-edge convergence of biotechnology, climate action, and clean energy innovation. At its core, the project leverages microalgae's natural ability to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, transforming it into valuable biomass. This approach not only contributes to carbon mitigation but also opens pathways for sustainable resource utilization through a circular bioeconomy framework.
'What makes this initiative particularly impactful is its focus on converting algal biomass into hard carbon, a critical material for next-generation sodium-ion batteries. As the world seeks alternatives to lithium-based technologies, sodium-ion batteries offer a more abundant and cost-effective solution for energy storage. By linking carbon capture directly to advanced material synthesis, this collaborative project aims to create a closed-loop system in which emissions are not just reduced but repurposed into clean energy technologies—paving the way for scalable, climate-resilient solutions.