抄録
The Tamagawa Solar Challenge Project (TSCP) is one of the problem based-learning programs carried out at Tamagawa University. The design and fabrication of solar hydrogen cars (SHC) in support of long term driving sustainability have been ongoing efforts within the TSCP since 2003. The sustainability of SHC technology rests upon sourcing hydrogen (H_2) from biomass rather than fossil fuel supplies, and production of bio-hydrogen from microorganisms is currently under intense study. As part of this research, a highly-enriched culture of Clostridium species, Sa-3, was isolated and demonstrated to be non-pathogenic, and modest bio-hydrogen production was realized through fermentation of molasses and successful use of H_2 produced to drive the car. However, it is widely recognized that future fuel feedstock supplies will almost certainly require the use of cellulosic biomass (CBm) in place of molasses for economic sustainability. We have, therefore, planed energy recovery from abandoned fruits with Ha and methane fermentation processes. This report describes a screening of H_2-producing and CBm-degrading bacteria, an attempt of system integration of these processes, and a concept for future efforts.
