Summary
Conversion of coal to methane using bugs sounds great but the lack of data and information suggests that this process has a long way to go prior to any viable, economic commercialization.
Analysis
BP and Synthetic Genomics have announced the discovery of bacteria that can convert coal into methane. The implications of such a process are huge but at this time, the limited amount of information and the lack of any data brings into question timing and economic viability of any commercial process.
In an ONLINE article written by Jonathan Leake from the Sunday Times dated June 28, 2009, Venter is quoted as follows “ We have a large number that eat coal and break it down to organic acids, hydrogen, CO2 and so on. Then we have other organisms with enzymes that can take those organic acids, hydrogen and CO2 and make methane.”
So apparently the process is a two step sequence. But nothing is mentioned regarding the rate of reaction, the impact of coal impurities on the rate of reaction, the yield of the final product methane versus any unreacted by-products mentioned, or any capital costs associated with the concept.
Obviously coal is a critical component of future energy generation and any way of improving coal gasification to methane would be important and beneficial to its usage as a source of energy. But at this point in time, given the limited amount of information regarding the use of bacteria for coal conversion, we should step back, allow the research to continue and better understand the actual costs associated with the final process when they are published.
If the process is really commercially viable, then the hype and profit can begin.
