APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL, HYDROGEN AND ELECTRICITY

1 . An isolated organic acid-consuming thermophilic electricigenic bacterium.

2 . The isolated bacterium of claim 1 , wherein the bacterium is Thermincola ferriacetica.

3 . A process for generating electricity comprising supplying a microbial catalyst and a fuel source to a microbial fuel cell under thermophilic conditions, wherein the microbial catalyst consumes the fuel source and generates electricity.

4 . The process of claim 3 , wherein the fuel source is acetate or cellulose.

5 . The process of claim 3 , wherein the microbial catalyst is resistant to autoclaving.

6 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises Thermincola.

7 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises Deferribacteres.

8 . The process of claim 3 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises more than one bacteria.

9 . The process of claim 8 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises Thermincola and Deferribacteres.

10 . A process of generating ethanol and electricity comprising:

(a) supplying a microbial catalyst and a fuel source to a fermentation vessel in operable relation with a microbial fuel cell, wherein the microbial catalyst has a cellulolytic activity, an ethanologenic activity, and an electricigenic activity; and

(b) wherein the fuel source is consumed and ethanol and electricity are generated.

11 . The process of claim 10 , wherein the fuel source is cellulose, hemicellulose or chitin.

12 . The process of claim 11 , wherein the cellulose is corn stover, peach waste, wood chips, forest litter, or switchgrass.

13 . The process of claim 10 , wherein the fermentation vessel is maintained under thermophilic conditions.

14 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises Clostridium thermocellum, Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum or Thermincola.

15 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises two or more bacteria selected from the group Clostridium thermocellum, Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum and Thermincola.

16 . A process of generating ethanol and electricity comprising:

(a) supplying a microbial catalyst having ethanologenic activity and a fuel source to a first fermentation vessel, wherein a spent fuel source is generated; and

(b) supplying the spent fuel source and a second microbial catalyst having a cellulolytic activity and an electricigenic activity to a second fermentation vessel, wherein the second fermentation vessel is in operable relation with a microbial fuel cell, wherein said spent fuel source is consumed,

wherein ethanol and electricity are generated.

17 . The process of claim 16 , wherein the first and second fermentation vessels are maintained under thermophilic conditions.

18 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the microbial catalyst having an ethanologenic activity is Zymomonas mobilis and the fuel source contains both sugar and cellulose.

19 . A process of generating hydrogen comprising supplying a microbial catalyst and a fuel source to a BEAMR system, wherein the microbial catalyst consumes the fuel source and generates hydrogen, wherein the BEAMR system is under thermophilic conditions.

20 . The process of claim 19 , wherein the fuel source is acetate or cellulose.

21 . The process of claim 19 , wherein the microbial catalyst is resistant to autoclaving.

22 . The process of claim 20 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises Thermincola.

23 . The process of claim 20 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises Deferribacteres.

24 . The process of claim 19 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises more than one bacteria.

25 . The process of claim 24 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises Thermincola and Deferribacteres.

26 . A process of generating ethanol and hydrogen comprising supplying a microbial catalyst and a fuel source to a BEAMR system, wherein the microbial catalyst has a cellulolytic activity, an ethanologenic activity, and an electricigenic activity, wherein the fuel source is consumed and ethanol and hydrogen are generated.

27 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the BEAMR system is maintained under thermophilic conditions.

28 . The process of claim 27 , wherein the fuel source is cellulose, hemicellulose or chitin.

29 . The process of claim 28 , wherein the cellulose is corn stover, peach waste, wood chips, or forest litter.

30 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises Clostridium thermocellum, Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum or Thermincola.

31 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the microbial catalyst comprises two or more bacterium selected from the group Clostridium thermocellum, Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum and Thermincola.

32 . An apparatus for generating ethanol and electricity comprising a fermentation vessel in operable relation with a microbial fuel cell.

33 . The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the microbial fuel cell comprises an anode and at least two cathodes.

34 . The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the microbial fuel cell comprises at least two anodes and a cathode.

35 . The apparatus of claim 32 , further comprising a inflow line and a return line, wherein the inflow line and the return line communicate between the fermentation vessel and the microbial fuel cell.

36 . The apparatus of claim 32 , further comprising a microbial catalyst.

37 . An apparatus for generating ethanol and hydrogen comprising a chamber, a fuel source, a microbial catalyst, and a power source in connective relation to an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode and the cathode are located within the chamber.

38 . The apparatus of claim 37 , wherein the power source is a second microbial fuel cell.

39 . The apparatus of claim 37 , wherein the system further comprises a membrane.

40 . The apparatus of claim 37 , further comprising a microbial catalyst.