In 1987, a water well drilled near Bourakebougou in Mali struck gas instead of water. The gas was almost pure hydrogen, and since 2012 it has fueled a generator supplying the village with electricity. No electrolysis was involved and no renewable power was consumed. The hydrogen is generated in the rock itself. That well is a large part of why natural hydrogen, also called white or geologic hydrogen, has moved from geological curiosity to exploration target across the globe.

Localized pitting beneath deposits, blackened corrosion products, and sulfidic odor are recurrent findings in cooling circuits that operate close to oxygen saturation and return no evidence of anaerobic organisms in routine water analysis. The inconsistency lies in the measurement rather than in the system. Dissolved oxygen determined in the flowing bulk phase characterizes the flowing bulk phase alone, and provides no information about conditions within a deposit layer, insi

Open a sample bottle from a gas storage reservoir on a laboratory bench and most of what lived inside is already dead. Not damaged, not stressed. Dead, within seconds of meeting air. That single fact shapes everything about the isolation of anaerobic microorganisms, a discipline where the hardest part is usually not the microbiology but keeping oxygen out of every container, valve and syringe along the way. Anaerobic cultivation now sits behind biogas production, hydrogen sto

Put a drop of sludge from an anaerobic reactor under a microscope, switch to UV excitation, and parts of the field light up blue-green. Nothing was stained. The glow comes from coenzyme F420, a molecule that methanogenic archaea use in their energy metabolism. Within a minute, and without extracting a single strand of DNA, the microscope has answered two useful questions: are methanogens there, and do they look active. Sequencing has become the default first move in microbial

Salt caverns combine oxygen-free conditions with pressures of up to 250 bar. Microorganisms live under these conditions, but when brine is brought to the surface and sampled through a standard valve, most of them do not survive. The pressure drop kills the cells before any laboratory work begins. Patented high-pressure sampling technology closes this gap. It enables sterile, anaerobic sampling and maintains pressure until a controlled decompression preserves the cells. Why do

Geothermal energy systems draw on fluids that have been isolated underground for extended periods, under conditions of high temperature, high pressure, and low oxygen. These are exactly the conditions under which anaerobic and thermophilic microorganisms thrive. Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is a recognized risk in oil and gas operations, where fluids share many of these same characteristics. In geothermal systems, the same mechanisms apply, and the sustained h

Microbify has successfully completed the LATAM Market Discovery program of German Accelerator. The program was part of the first cohort 2026 and focused on the discovery of the 🇧🇷 Brazilian market, with a personalized add-on covering 🇺🇾 Uruguay and 🇦🇷 Argentina to include both the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking markets of the continent. Microbify's participation in the program responds to growing demand for professional, innovative extremophile services and marks a st

Table of Content What are halophiles? In which natural environments do halophiles thrive? What types of metabolism keep halophiles alive? Why are some halophiles also alkaliphiles? Which salt concentrations can halophiles tolerate? Why do halophiles matter for underground storage? Drop ordinary bacteria into a saturated salt pool and they shrivel within minutes. Halophiles do the opposite: they seek out the saltiest water on Earth and treat it as home. From ancient salt lakes

The global energy transition is not a single breakthrough. It is a mosaic of technologies, each solving a specific piece of the puzzle. Among the most promising and still underappreciated are biogas and biomethanation, processes that turn organic waste into storable, usable energy at the intersection of circular economy principles, renewable energy, and industrial decarbonization. Basics of biogas production Biogas is produced through anaerobic digestion, a naturally occurrin

Table of Contents ​​1. Why are organic acids relevant across industries? 2. What are organic acids? 3. What role do organic acids play in biogas production? 4. How do organic acids affect agriculture? 5. Why are organic acids important in food production? 6. How are organic acids monitored and controlled? 7. What is the future role of organic acids in industry? 1. Why are organic acids relevant across industries? Organic acids are present in a wide range of natural and indust

Table of contents What are geothermal environments? How is geothermal energy generated and used? What types of microorganisms are found in geothermal systems? How do biogeochemical cycles and mineral interactions affect geothermal energy? How do microorganisms impact geothermal energy production? What scientific advances and research methods are used in geothermal energy? What are the future perspectives of geothermal energy and microbiology? 1. What are geothermal environme

Two companies. Two sectors. One common goal. At first sight, Euro-Labor GmbH and Microbify GmbH cover two completely different topics: Failure analysis and materials investigation vs. microbiology. Together with Jens Jürgensen and Gregor Manke, we took the chance to discuss potential synergies and found a common ground: microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). On the one hand, this type ofcorrosion is still neglected in many industries. On the other hand, MIC is seldom t

Introduction: rethinking biomass production The global demand for sustainable food, fuels, and chemicals is driving the development of alternative biotechnologies that reduce reliance on fossil fuels and agricultural resources. Gas fermentation is emerging as a promising solution. This process leverages microorganisms to convert gaseous substrates, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen (H₂), into microbial biomass and other value-added products. Unlike conventional f

Understanding natural hydrogen Natural hydrogen, often referred to as white or geologic hydrogen, is molecular hydrogen (H₂) that forms naturally within the Earth’s crust. Unlike industrial hydrogen, which must be produced via electrolysis or fossil fuel reforming, natural hydrogen is generated underground through geological processes such as water-rock reactions and mantle-derived gas migration. It can move through porous rock formations, accumulate in subsurface traps, an

Microbify’s recent interview with H2NEWS Chile conducted by Grace Keller, we had the opportunity to discuss one of the most underestimated challenges of the energy transition: the role of microorganisms in hydrogen and gas infrastructure. Co-founder and managing director of Microbify GmbH Dr. Linda Dengler in an interview with H2NEWS Chile. Grace Keller is the Founder and Director of H2NEWS, Vice President of H2 Chile, and a member of Women in Green Hydrogen. Through her wo

In many environments, microbial behaviour is shaped by interactions with both surrounding fluids and solid interfaces. Attachment to surfaces provides access to nutrients, stability, and protection from external stressors. Over time, attached cells can proliferate and recruit additional microorganisms, leading to the development of structured communities. These communities exhibit properties that differ markedly from those of free-living cells. Understanding this form of orga

Corrosion is one of the most widespread and costly forms of material damage in industrial operations. It is an electrochemical process in which metals react with their environment and slowly return to a more stable form, such as oxides or sulfides . While corrosion is often associated with purely chemical reactions involving oxygen, moisture, and salts, in many cases microorganisms play a decisive role in accelerating and sustaining it. This form is known as microbiological

Every living organism needs the right food to thrive, and microbes are no exception. In gas and hydrogen infrastructure, microorganisms thrive in nutrient-limited, anaerobic environments, feeding on the smallest traces of organic and inorganic compounds. But not all microbes eat the same meal. Understanding who consumes what is key to predicting and managing their impact on your system! The main microbial players in gas and hydrogen storage are impacting the infrastructure

Straubing, 11.09.2024. The Straubing-based biotech company Microbify is supporting its long-standing customer RWE Gas Storage West in the construction of the first commercial hydrogen storage facility in Gronau, Westphalia. Microbify will provide microbiological support for this pioneering project. Microbiological processes play an important role in the large-scale storage of hydrogen, as the energy-rich hydrogen molecules also serve as a food source for naturally occurring

The cultivation of microorganisms applies across industries, including biotech and medicine. It involves the isolation of novel microbes.