Almost 90% of our energy comes from fossil fuels, which are both limited and polluting, hence the need to find alternative sources. Biofuels can provide a sustainable and renewable source of energy for the future. Recent significant advances in genetic engineering and fermentation technology have made microbial bio-based production of chemicals from renewable resources more viable. Clostridium species are considered as promising micro-organisms for the production of a wide range of chemicals for industrial use. However, a number of scientific challenges still need to be overcome to facilitate an economically viable production system. These include the use of cheap non-food-based substrates, a better understanding of the metabolic processes involved, improvement of strains through genetic engineering and innovation in process technology. This paper reviews recent developments in these areas, advancing the use of Clostridium within an industrial context especially for the production of biofuels.

我们几乎90％的能源都来自化石燃料，这既有限又污染，因此需要寻找替代能源。生物燃料可以为未来提供可持续的可再生能源。基因工程和发酵技术方面的最新重大进展，使得从可再生资源中以微生物为基础的化学品生产更加可行。梭菌该物种被认为是生产各种工业用化学品的有前途的微生物。但是，仍然需要克服许多科学挑战，以促进经济上可行的生产系统。这些措施包括使用廉价的非食品底物，对涉及的代谢过程有更好的了解，通过基因工程和工艺技术创新来改善菌株。本文回顾了这些领域的最新发展，推动了梭状芽胞杆菌在工业环境中的使用，特别是在生产生物燃料方面。