University of Otago researcher Dr Tina Summerfield examines
bacteria, which could potentially be used to power homes
and cars, multiplying in a temperature-controlled growth
room. Photo by Craig Baxter.
Microscopic green bacteria found almost everywhere could
one day be used to power the world, and University of Otago
researcher Dr Tina Summerfield is helping bring that idea
closer to reality.
The bacteria grow using solar energy, light and carbon
dioxide and produce hydrogen and ethanol, biofuels which are
already being used as power sources.
Researchers around the world are perfecting ways to grow the
bacteria in large enough quantities to produce commercial
amounts of biofuels.
Dr Summerfield (37) has received a $264,000 Foundation for
Research, Science and Technology postdoctoral fellowship,
enabling her to spend the next three years recording which of
New Zealand's many varieties of bacteria grow most quickly
and best, and which produce the most amounts of hydrogen or
ethanol.
She said yesterday it was too early to say whether bacteria
could be used as a source of clean and renewable energy, but
that their potential was untapped.
"I feel lucky to have been given a grant to study something I
really enjoy, and something which could potentially be really
useful.
"The beauty of it is bacteria don't have to be grown on
agricultural land like corn or other crops used to create
biofuels - all you need is clear plastic tubes, light or
heat, phosphate fertiliser and water.
''The water does not have to be clean.
''Some people are experimenting with using grey water from
sewerage treatment plants."
Dr Summerfield is one of 14 researchers awarded fellowships
yesterday.
Each receives $264,000 for a three-year project.
Two other fellowships went to Otago researchers.
Dr Ashton Bradley will return from Australia to work at the
internationally recognised Jack Dodd Centre for Quantum
Technology, carrying out theoretical investigations into some
as-yet uncharted areas of atomic physics.
One of his major roles will be training students in quantum
technology techniques.
Dr Christina McGraw will study the impact seawater becoming
more acidic has on marine organisms of economic importance to
New Zealand such as oysters, green-lipped mussels and paua,
and those organisms' abilities to adapt to changing ocean
conditions.
The other fellowship recipients were Pascale Michel (Landcare
Research); Hema Nair (University of Canterbury); Gayle
Ferguson and Monica Gerth (Massey University); James Russell
(University of California); Peng Cao (University of Waikato);
Jessica Costa, Jim Lee and Lijuan Zhang (University of
Auckland); Lincoln Tubbs (University of Guelph, Canada); and
Nicholas van Panhuys (National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases, United States).
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