The amount of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere by human activities have greatly increased since the Industrial Revolution. Nonrenewable resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas release these gasses when used for energy, freeing carbon that has been trapped underground for millions of years. The rate at which humanity is using up these natural resources is unsustainable, and the amount of CO2 being added into our air has devastating effects on the planet.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, the global average temperature has risen by at least 1.2℃, and sea levels are on the rise as well. Current estimates project that if no changes are made, we may see continued warming of 0.3℃ every decade. Cumulative carbon dioxide emissions account for much of this deadly warming.
The ten most recent years are the warmest years on record. Across the globe, glaciers are melting, arable land is becoming a desert, and the rainforest is burning. Something has to change, and change soon, or entire biospheres will be devastated beyond repair.
We have a solution. Through our innovative biophotovoltaic technology, we will utilize cyanobacteria to capture carbon and sunlight to provide energy in a multitude of ways. The carbon will be sequestered from the atmosphere, increasing cyanobacterial biomass. From there, excess carbon will be shunted through ethanol fermentation pathways to produce a valuable ethanol byproduct. All in all, our device produces electricity and ethanol, while being fully carbon-negative in its approach to energy generation.
Our team is composed of 11 undergrads passionate about STEM and using science to bring about positive change in our community. Our team comprises of members from sophomores to seniors with different majors. We are guided by a group of advisors, including head advisor Dr. Anne Meyer, who has led many previous iGEM teams to grand prizes and notable awards. Everyone on this team embodies the spirit and ideals of iGEM. We are excited to see how we can utilize science to bring about positive change in our community.
Electrons released while photosynthesis occurs in the cyanobacteria can be picked up by the photovoltaic cell and redirected to create electrical output, thus giving us a source of green energy.
We will modify our strain of cyanobacteria by targeting a carbon-fixing enzymes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency in CO2 sequestration of our chassis.
Alongside electricity production and CO2 sequestration, we will engineer our cyanobacteria to synthesize a high- value product, such as ethanol.
The cyanobacteria will be screenprinted onto an inexpensive paper substrate, maximizing the total surface area of the cyanobacterial culture and effectively producing a cheap and sustainable “solar panel” without the need for expensive materials.
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(2)Ritchie, H., Rosado, P., and Roser, M. (2023, December 28) CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions. Our World in Data.
(3) Bolles, D. (2024, February 7) Global surface temperature. NASA. NASA. Rounce, D. R., Hock, R., Maussion, F., Hugonnet, R., Kochtitzky, W., Huss, M., Berthier, E., Brinkerhoff, D., Compagno, L., Copland, L., Farinotti, D., Menounos, B., and McNabb, R. W. (2023) Global Glacier Change in the 21st century: Every increase in temperature matters. Science 379, 78–83.