| abstract |
The compositions, methods and apparatus of the present invention allow the production of electricity, ethanol and hydrogen, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the invention provides a process for generating electricity or hydrogen comprising supplying a microbial catalyst and a fuel source to a microbial fuel cell or a bio-electrochemically assisted microbial reactor (BEAMR), respectively, under thermophilic conditions. In other embodiments, the invention provides a process of generating ethanol and electricity or ethanol and hydrogen comprising supplying a microbial catalyst and a fuel source to a fermentation vessel in operable relation with a microbial fuel cell or a BEAMR system, respectively, wherein the microbial catalyst has a cellulolytic activity, an ethanologenic activity, and an electricigenic activity. Other embodiments include compositions and apparati for practicing the invention. |