Microorganisms that convert electricity into methane gas could be used to turn clean electricity into carbon-neutral methane fuel, according to researchers from Stanford and Pennsylvania State universities.

Single cell microbes called methanogen use electrons to metabolize carbon dioxide, creating methane as a byproduct, and some can produce methane directly from an electric current.

Scientists envision a bioreactor filled with methanogens. The methanogens would be fed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and "clean" electricity from a source such as a wind turbine or solar plant. The bioreactor would produce methane, which could be used to fuel airplanes, cars and other vehicles.

The whole process is carbon-neutral, because there would be no net increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The electricity is produced without carbon emissions, and the carbon dioxide released during combustion is derived from the atmosphere.
Burning conventional fossil fuels adds to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by releasing carbon that had previously been stored in the ground.

The project was funded by the Global Climate and Energy Project at Stanford University.

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