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Nitrogen-fixing bacteria do not seem to be the most attractive topic, but they attract the attention of the world's most influential billionaires, who see it as a concrete way to help save the planet.
If the technology fails, this long dormant bacterium could alter the future of energy and agriculture by reducing environmental pollution, protecting the global marine ecosystem, by reducing production costs for farmers and preserving the use of energy.
In September, a group of billionaire investors, including Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg, set aside $ 1 billion to invest in nine energy startups. The investments are part of a fund called Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), which provides companies with "patient capital" or funds that do not require a return on investment for up to 20 years. This gives scientists and engineers time to refine their transformative energy technologies.
In its latest round of fundraising, Californian startup Pivot Bio raised $ 70 million for its genetically modified bacteria, the majority of which came from BEV.
Farmers use too much fertilizer
Before developing a product, Pivot Bio had identified a major problem in the agricultural sector: farmers use too much fertilizer.
"A factory is a bit like a human being, and as it grows, it's growing," said Karsten Temme, co-founder and CEO of the company. "In the middle of the [growing] Depending on the season, the plant is a teenager. You have to give him the nutrients as quickly as possible, because that's when growth is fastest. "
But farmers can not access the crops at that time because the plants have become too big. Driving a tractor in the field would make them run everywhere. So they started adding nitrogen fertilizer out of season, leaving them exposed for a long time.
This fertilizer then releases nitrous oxide, a type of greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. The gas also pours into rivers and streams, absorbing oxygen from the water so that no marine animal can survive. It is also toxic to humans: contact with infested water can cause painful rashes and ingestion can lead to liver or kidney damage.
Pivot Bio has discovered a bacterium that reduces the need for dangerous fertilizers. According to Temme, the bacteria has been hiding in the environment since the last century, but the use of fertilizer has made it inactive. "We rediscovered a lost part of the microbiome," he said.
How technology works
By genetically modifying bacteria, Pivot Bio helps activate them in the presence of nitrogen fertilizer. Farmers can then spray the bacteria in liquid form on the seeds themselves.
"As soon as this seed germinates and the first roots form, our microbes can cling to this root and cover it up like a glove," said Temme. This allows the bacteria to feed the plant daily, eliminating the need for excess fertilizer.
But there is still an obstacle: farmers are not used to the new technology.
To overcome this bump, Pivot Bio has proposed a boon. Farmers can use the same methods they are used to – spray crops with fertilizers and insecticides from a tank placed on their tractor – in exchange for adding genetically modified bacteria to the tank.
This is a win for farmers, who do not have to spend as much money on fertilizer, and an even bigger win for the environment. Temme said that the production of fertilizer consumes about 3 to 4% of the world energy and that the production process alone can release harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
Although the challenge is daunting, Pivot Bio has put in place a clear strategy. "Our first commitment is to put a product on the market for US corn growers," said Temme. The product – which the company describes as "proven" – results from both actual and theoretical tests, which showed that the bacteria could provide up to a quarter of the nitrogen necessary for plant growth. .
After marketing their first product, Pivot Bio will switch to other crops such as rice and wheat. Together, corn, wheat and rice consume about half of the world's nitrogen, Temme said.
Although Pivot Bio is not the only company working with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, a vote of confidence on the part of billionaires like Bezos and Gates is inevitable.
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