Thursday, July 10, 2025
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These tiny organisms have been silently working for humankind for centuries. In recent decades, they’ve also shown they can power turbines, light up homes, and help decarbonize industry. They make no noise, but they’re in constant motion—ideal conditions to contribute to the energy transition.
By Carmen Diaz-Beyá
Our immense planet is home to organisms of every shape and size. Each one plays a key role in maintaining ecological balance and sustaining life as we know it. Among them—almost invisible to the naked eye—are microorganisms. These tiny beings ensure the flow of nutrients, regulate ecological processes, and keep ecosystems functioning.
One of the environments where microorganisms carry out vital work is in manure, a raw material used by humans for centuries. With the rise of agriculture, manure began to be used not only as fertilizer, but also as a fuel for lighting fires. Today, part of the energy that powers our cities comes from the transformation of this waste in facilities called biodigesters.
These hermetically sealed tanks operate by being filled with organic waste, which hosts communities of anaerobic bacteria—organisms that do not require oxygen (O2) to live. Once inside, the bacteria feed on agricultural residues such as manure, sludge, or coffee grounds, converting them into renewable biomethane. In 2023 alone, this unique microscopic fauna provided 22 billion cubic meters of biomethane and biogas, equivalent to 7% of the EU's gas consumption and a potential savings of 106 million tons of CO₂ per year.
The biomethane produced can be used as a direct substitute for natural gas in a wide variety of applications. Thanks to its renewable origin, it significantly contributes to emissions reduction in key sectors such as transport, industry, and power generation.
Moreover, this process is fully circular: it prevents uncontrolled fermentation of waste and generates a fuel compatible with existing gas infrastructure that transports energy worldwide.
This same principle of harnessing the action of microorganisms is applied in another crucial area to promote sustainability: wastewater treatment. Here, the role of bacteria is also essential in ensuring public health. There are multiple methods to treat wastewater; however, one of the most sustainable and efficient approaches comes from the use of microorganisms. In biological treatment systems, bacteria and protozoa break down organic matter and pollutants such as oils, transforming them into less harmful compounds. This achieves water purification without the need for chemical products.
Meanwhile, the sludge generated during the waste transformation can be reused as fertilizer or an energy source. In this sense, wastewater treatment plants shift from being potential energy consumers to micro-plants that produce energy.
In this world invisible to the human eye, we must also remember the role played by other microorganisms found in freshwater or saltwater environments: microalgae. Through photosynthesis, these aquatic beings produce a fat that transforms into biomass, whose main use is usually the production of biofuel.
One advantage of these microscopic beings is that, under the same surface and sunlight conditions as a terrestrial plant, they can produce up to 60 times more fuel. Their environmental impact is minimal when compared to other crops and, in addition, they feed on CO₂, thus contributing to decarbonizing the atmosphere.
Microorganisms are the true invisible workers of the energy transition. They transform waste into kilowatts, purify water while generating electricity, and produce fuels without emitting carbon. With these tiny allies in our corner, we’re one step closer to the goal of leaving a better planet for future generations.
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