Biotransformation plays a crucial role in biochemical industry

and the biotransformation process is accompanied by energy consumption and release. Therefore

in the design and regulation of biological transformation process

the supply and the balance of energy is a very crucial factor. If the exogenous energy is supplied directly to drive the reaction

such as the addition of energetic cofactors

the reaction efficiency will be not satisfactory and the cost is high. To promote the efficiency of the catalytic reaction continuously

the introduction of energy recycling and energetic cofactors regeneration system is of great significance and necessity. The current research on three kinds of energy recycling system is reviewed

its development in the field of metabolic engineering is discussed

and its application in cell-free catalytic process is applying in the future.