Scientists at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a collaboration between Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley, have developed bacteria capable of using hydrogen gas as an energy source.
The breakthrough could improve efficiency in the production of biofuels, bioplastics, and other biomanufactured products.
Traditionally, microbes used in biofuel production rely heavily on sugar, both as a feedstock and as a source of energy. This dual demand increases costs and reduces overall efficiency.
The new approach allows engineered bacteria to derive their metabolic energy from hydrogen instead, preserving sugar for conversion into target products.
Hydrogen provides roughly three times more cellular energy per dollar than sugar, meaning this method could significantly lower the cost of renewable fuels and chemicals, making them more competitive with petroleum-based alternatives.
“Previously, biofuel production involved microbes using a substantial portion of sugar just to power themselves,” said Robert Bertrand, a postdoctoral researcher at JBEI. “By enabling bacteria to use hydrogen for energy, we can reduce waste and increase production efficiency.”
The study, published in the January 2026 issue of Metabolic Engineering, is titled “Feedstock-efficient conversion through hydrogen and formate-driven metabolism in Escherichia coli.”
The research demonstrates a practical pathway for feedstock-efficient microbial bio-production, paving the way for lower-cost renewable chemicals.
Joint BioEnergy Institute researchers engineer bacteria to use hydrogen for energy
