Bioenergy in Industrial Biotechnology

This paper discusses the possibility of using the heat and electricity produced by living organisms. It analyzes the global demand for energy, its distribution by sources, and their environmental impact. It further dwells upon the problems of energy efficiency and resource conservation by biotechnology enterprises. Since this is a global problem, the issues raised by the paper are subject to analysis from the points of view of energy, economics, and ecology. The paper proposes yeast and other microorganisms as a source of energy. It details the material and energy balance of the fermentation process; the paper further proposes and proves a heat production formula for the process of alcoholic fermentation. The authors present a diagram of ion exchange between microbial cells and their environment as mediated by semipermeable membranes. The obtained mathematical dependencies can be of use for biotechnology enterprises. The paper also presents evidence of how microorganisms could be put into effective use to address environmental challenges.