Waste-to-lipid biocatalysis for renewable biodiesel production
This technology is a biocatalytic platform that converts organic waste-derived fatty acids into biodiesel lipids for the production of renewable fuels.
Unmet Need: Method for renewable fuel production without agricultural reliance
Current biodegradable fuel production often relies on food-based raw materials such as corn and soy, creating direct competition with crops intended for human consumption. Existing waste-to-fuel conversion methods suffer from low efficiency, inconsistent yields, and limited scalability across different types of waste. There is an increasing need for a high-yield, flexible biofuel production platform that can efficiently convert non-food organic waste into usable fuel to meet renewable energy demands without burdening global food supply chains.
The Technology: Biocatalytic platform converting waste into biodiesel lipids
This technology uses a controlled biocatalytic process in which organisms convert volatile fatty acids derived from organic waste into specific lipids suitable for biodiesel production. The operating conditions, including oxygen levels and the timing of nutrient availability, are optimized to increase lipid accumulation rather than biomass growth. Because volatile fatty acids can be generated from a wide range of waste materials, the process enables consistent lipid output without depending on crop-based inputs.
This technology has been tested in a laboratory setting, demonstrating improved lipid yield under these optimized conditions.
Applications:
- Production of biodiesel from organic waste materials
- Generation of raw materials for renewable fuel markets
- Processing of agricultural or industrial waste streams
- Research tool for optimizing bioprocessing
- Lipid production for bioplastics manufacturing
- Energy production in low-resource areas
- Implementation in smart-city infrastructure
Advantages:
- Uses non-food waste materials instead of crops
- Reduces dependence on agricultural resources
- Improved lipid yields
- Applicable to diverse waste streams
- Scalable and compatible with existing biodiesel production methods
- Supports renewable production standards
- Lowers material costs by replacing valuable process inputs
Lead Inventor:
Patent Information:
Patent Issued (US 10,017,795)
Related Publications:
Tech Ventures Reference:
IR CU14175, CU14001, CU14016, CU16356
Licensing Contact: Dovina Qu