Abstract

Our team at International Photosynthesis Industrialization Research Center (IPIRC), University of Kitakyushu, aims to uncover and develop the systems for sustainable yield of energy such as fuels through science and engineering of both natural and artificial photosynthesis under collaborations with industries and foreign institutions. The natural systems under collaborations include projects with European institutions such as Univ. Paris-Diderot (France) and Univ. of Florence (Italy) for bio-oil production from a Mediterranean halophyte grown on the non-agricultural lands and a collaborative project held in Kitakyushu city, for producing the jet fuel using marine micro-algae run by Electric Power Development Co., Ltd, as we have developed an efficient protocols for extraction of bio-oils from bio-materials [1]. On the other hand, artificial systems under collaborations include a project (with Royal Corp. Ltd. and Sankyu Inc.) for developing a photosynthetic carbon fixation (dark reaction)-mimicking mechanism for absorption and fixation of carbon dioxide (CO2) followed by carbon utilization and production of fuels (synthetic diesel).