Benzoquinones are a class of organic compounds that are capable of abstracting protons and electrons from the photosynthetic electron transport chain (ETC). Plastoquinone, one of the most important electron mediator in the photosynthetic electron transport chain, belongs to this class of organic molecules. After abstracting two protons and electrons each from the photosynthetic ETC, the benzoquinone (including plastoquinone) gets reduced to its corresponding hydroquinone. These hydroquinones resemble NADH and NADPH, which are the universal stores of cellular hydrogen equivalents. The interesting aspect of benzoquinones is that some of these molecules, at a given concentration and addition regime, traverses from the bulk medium into the photosynthetic cell, gets reduced by the ETC and traverses out of the cell as hydroquinones. In this manner, it is possible to accumulate and extract these hydroquinones from the bulk solution. These hydroquinones, like glucose, are solid fuels and can be stably stored at room temperature. It has been shown that energy in the form of hydrogen or electricity can be extracted from these hydroquinones. The objective of my PhD thesis is to use Synechococcus elongatus as cellular catalysts for the generation of these solid fuels. My research aims include understanding the kinetics of benzoquinone reduction by Synechococcus elongatus, understanding the change in important cellular parameters during the reduction process (Chlorophyll a profile, ROS profile, etc). We have also developed novel photobioreactor systems for increasing the areal productivity of microalgal growth in general and intend to deploy this system for the growth of Synechococcus elongatus that will ultimately be used to generate hydroquinones.