This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to artificial photosynthesis. In one aspect a system includes a photoanode chamber including a photoanode assembly, a photocathode chamber including a photocathode assembly, an electrical connection electrically connecting the photoanode assembly and the photocathode assembly, a membrane separating the photoanode chamber and the photocathode chamber, and a microorganism disposed in the photocathode chamber. The photoanode assembly is operable to oxidize water to generate oxygen, protons, and electrons. The membrane is permeable to the protons and operable to allow the protons to travel to the photocathode chamber. The electrical connection provides electrons to the photocathode assembly. The microorganism comprises a metabolic pathway to reduce carbon dioxide and to generate a carbon-based compound using the electrons or hydrogen formed by two protons.

Methods and systems for growing water-growing organisms are disclosed herein. The methods and systems may comprise use of a self-contained unit. A self-contained unit may be configured for the growth of at least one water-growing organism.

Devices, systems and methods for using photosynthetic biomass to purify water, reduce indoor air pollution, remove greenhouse gases including CO.sub.2 from outdoor atmospheric air, and produce biofuel, food products, and fertilizer are provided herein. Also provided herein are systems and methods for enhancing growth of a photosynthetic biomass in a greenhouse.

The present invention is related to an anaerobic photobioreactor and a method for active biomass cultivation, wastewater treatment, nutrients recovery, energy production and high-value products synthesis. Phototrophic bacteria are cultured in the anaerobic photobioreactor lighted with solar or artificial irradiation where certain light wavelengths are selectively discarded with a light selector installed on the top of the photobioreactor. In this light-based process wastewater treatment and resources recovery, like nutrients and high-value bioproducts (fertilizers, polymers and proteins) present in wastewater are performed simultaneously. Cultured biomass is treated by anaerobic digestion for biofuel production, including optative hydrolytic pre-treatment, and/or valuable bioproducts can be obtained in a downstream process.

The present invention relates to a process for fermenting Yarrowia in a bioreactor, comprising cultivating Yarrowia in a medium, and adding a feed comprising formic acid and a sugar to the medium in a molar ratio of formic acid to sugar of 1 to 13 mol formic acid/mol monosaccharide.

Described herein are methods and systems that can provide independent energy generation as well as systems for the generation of other useful products, such as chemicals. In addition, the systems and methods can provide ways of harnessing the potential of biomass feedstock to generate of multitude of products including green crude, biogas, electricity, heat, fatty acids, biodiesel, ammonia, and chemical products. In many cases, the systems and methods herein utilize anaerobic microorganisms, including aquatic and ruminant organisms, to digest material and create products.

A method is provided for treating distiller's grains with solubles (DGS) to produce one or more byproducts. The method includes separating the DGS into a low protein mixture and a high protein mixture. The method includes generating, from the low protein mixture, a biogas by an anaerobic digestion process. The method includes generating, from the high protein mixture, at least one of a vegetable oil from a vegetable oil separation process, a high protein animal feed from a separation process and a microalgae biomass material from a microalgae production process.

A novel carbon formation reactor for forming carbon from a carbon-bearing fluidic stream, and method of using the same, is described. The reactor uses a catalyst bearing surface placed within a heated zone in a carbon-bearing fluidic stream to form carbon, which can then be removed from the reactor, with the process repeatable to achieve high extraction efficiencies.

Production equipment for production of biological material, comprising a bioreactor 12, 3 for the cultivation and production of unicellular microorganisms and communities of microorganisms as well as multicellular aquatic plant and animal organisms. The bioreactor has at least one space for the proliferation 21 of unicellular microorganisms, communities of microorganisms, multicellular aquatic plants and animals, which space is in communication with a device 23 for cultivating, transporting and harvesting said microorganisms or aquatic organisms, comprising a pipe chain conveyor.

A method in which a parent hydrocarbon-rich material is processed so as to produce both a carbon-rich solid material that has a higher carbon to hydrogen ratio than that of the parent material and a carbon-deficient combustible gas that has a lower carbon to hydrogen ratio than the parent material. In the process, the material is activated by exposing it to a hot gas stream having elevated levels of one or both of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The combustible gas is combusted to produce heat. At least about 80% of the heat is used in one ore more endothermic steps that include drying coal or biomass.