Discover insights from thousands of peer-reviewed papers on microbial electrochemical systems
Jiseon You, Hangbing Fan, Jonathan Winfield et al.
Molecules · 2020
Improving the efficiency of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology by enhancing the system performance and reducing the production cost is essential for commercialisation. In this study, building an additive manufacturing (AM)-built MFC comprising all 3D printed components such as anode, cathode and chassis was attempted for the first time. 3D printed base structures were made of low-cost, biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) filaments. For both anode and cathode, two surface modification methods using either graphite or nickel powder were tested. The best performing anode material, carbon-coated non-conductive PLA filament, was comparable to the control modified carbon veil with a peak power of 376.7 µW (7.5 W m−3) in week 3. However, PLA-based AM cathodes underperformed regardless of the coating method, which limited the overall performance. The membrane-less design produced more stable and higher power output levels (520−570 µW, 7.4−8.1 W m−3) compared to the ceramic membrane control MFCs. As the final design, four AM-made membrane-less MFCs connected in series successfully powered a digital weather station, which shows the current status of low-cost 3D printed MFC development.
Guozhen Wang, Yating Guo, Jiaying Cai et al.
RSC Advances · 2019
The objective of this study is to assess bioelectricity generation, pollutant removal and the bacterial communities on anodes in constructed wetlands coupled with microbial fuel cells, through feeding the systems with three different types of synthetic wastewater.
Aritro Banerjee, Rajnish Kaur Calay, Fasil Ejigu Eregno
Energies · 2022
Microbial fuel cells (MFC) are an emerging technology for wastewater treatment that utilizes the metabolism of microorganisms to generate electricity from the organic matter present in water directly. The principle of MFC is the same as hydrogen fuel cell and has three main components (i.e., anode, cathode, and proton exchange membrane). The membrane separates the anode and cathode chambers and keeps the anaerobic and aerobic conditions in the two chambers, respectively. This review paper describes the state-of-the-art membrane materials particularly suited for MFC and discusses the recent development to obtain robust, sustainable, and cost-effective membranes. Nafion 117, Flemion, and Hyflon are the typical commercially available membranes used in MFC. Use of non-fluorinated polymeric membrane materials such as sulfonated silicon dioxide (S-SiO2) in sulfonated polystyrene ethylene butylene polystyrene (SSEBS), sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) and graphene oxide sulfonated polyether ether ketone (GO/SPEEK) membranes showed promising output and proved to be an alternative material to Nafion 117. There are many challenges to selecting a suitable membrane for a scaled-up MFC system so that the technology become technically and economically viable.
Paulina Rusanowska, Marcin Dębowski, Marcin Zieliński
Energies · 2025
Microalgae microbial fuel cells (pMFCs) are distinguished by their ability to combine waste utilization with the simultaneous recovery of energy and valuable materials. The generation of high current density is linked to the efficient electron transfer to the anode via the anodic biofilm and the high photosynthetic activity of the microalgae cultivated in the cathode chamber. This review explores the impact of wastewater type on energy production and wastewater treatment. Additionally, it discusses the challenges related to microalgae growth in the cathode chamber, the necessity of aeration, and the sequestration of carbon dioxide from the anode chamber. The efficiency of microalgae in utilizing nutrients from various types of wastewater is also presented. In conclusion, the comparison between wastewater treatment and energy balance in pMFCs and conventional wastewater treatment plants is provided. On average, MFCs consume only 0.024 kW or 0.076 kWh/kg COD, which is approximately ten times less than the energy used by activated sludge bioprocesses. This demonstrates that MFCs offer highly efficient energy consumption compared to traditional wastewater treatment systems while simultaneously recovering energy through exoelectrogenic, bioelectrochemical processes.
Kasparas Kižys, Domas Pirštelis, Ingrida Bružaitė et al.
Biosensors · 2025
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are one of the contributors to the novel sustainable energy generation from organic waste. However, the application of MFCs is limited due to the slow charge transfer between cells and electrodes. This problem can be solved by modifying cells with conductive polymers, such as polypyrrole (PPy). We investigated the viability and electroactivity of modified cells at five different pyrrole concentrations, namely 8, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mM. The 100 mM concentration of PPy solution had the highest impact on yeast cells’ proliferation and growth, with the CFU/mL of PPy-treated yeast cells being 0.6 × 107 ± 5 × 10−2. The power density of the constructed MFC was evaluated by using an external load. The MFCs were analyzed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Although CV results with different pyrrole concentrations were similar, DPV indicated that yeast modification with 50 mM pyrrole resulted in the most significant current density, which may be attributed to an increase in charge transfer due to the conductive properties of polypyrrole. The power density achieved with modified yeast in wastewater, 12 mW/m2, reached levels similar to those in laboratory solutions, 45 mW/m2.
Murali Krishna Pasupuleti
AI in Renewable Energy Management: Tools for Optimizing Sustainable Power Systems · 2024
Abstract: This chapter explores the transformative impact of AI-enhanced renewable energy systems, focusing on how intelligent systems are revolutionizing the management of sustainable power. It delves into the core components of AI-driven energy systems, including advanced algorithms, smart grids, and optimized energy storage solutions. The chapter examines the application of AI in solar, wind, and hydropower systems, highlighting its role in predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and performance optimization. Additionally, it discusses AI's critical function in energy demand forecasting, load management, and the emerging field of energy trading. The chapter also addresses the technical challenges and economic opportunities associated with integrating AI into renewable energy systems, emphasizing the importance of innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and strategic planning for achieving global sustainability goals. Future trends in AI-enhanced renewable energy, such as advancements in AI algorithms, the integration of emerging technologies, and the development of autonomous energy management systems, are explored to provide a comprehensive understanding of the path towards a sustainable energy future. Keywords: AI-Enhanced Renewable Energy, Intelligent Systems, Sustainable Power Management, Predictive Maintenance, Energy Storage Optimization, Smart Grids, Energy Demand Forecasting, Load Management, Energy Trading, Renewable Energy Innovation, Autonomous Energy Systems, Quantum Computing in Energy, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain in Energy, Sustainable Energy Future.
Murali Krishna Pasupuleti
Empowered Future: AI-Driven Green Energy Systems for Sustainable Power Management · 2024
Abstract: This chapter explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing sustainable energy management, emphasizing the integration of machine learning, predictive analytics, smart grids, and IoT to optimize renewable energy sources. It discusses the environmental and economic benefits of AI-powered systems, including reduced carbon emissions, minimized energy waste, and improved grid stability. The chapter also addresses the challenges of data privacy, implementation costs, and ethical considerations while highlighting future trends and the importance of global collaboration to achieve a sustainable, energy-efficient future. Keywords: AI, sustainable energy, renewable energy, smart grids, machine learning, predictive analytics, energy management, carbon emissions, energy efficiency, IoT, environmental impact, data privacy, ethical considerations, global collaboration, energy optimization
Yi Wang, Lihua Zhou, Xiaoshan Luo et al.
ChemSusChem · 2018
Temperature is an important parameter for the performance of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs). Energy-intensive bulk water heating has been usually employed to maintain a desired temperature for the BESs. This study concerns a proof-of-concept of a light-to-heat photothermal electrode for solar heating of a local electroactive biofilm in a BES for efficient microbial energy harvesting at low temperatures as a replacement for bulk water heating approaches. The photothermal electrode was prepared by coating Ti3 C2 Tx MXene sunlight absorber onto carbon felt. The as-prepared photothermal electrode could efficiently raise the local temperature of the bioelectrode to approximately 30 °C from low bulk water temperatures (i.e., 10, 15, and 20 °C) under simulated sunlight illumination. As a result, highly efficient microbial energy could be harvested from the low-temperature BES equipped with a photothermal electrode without bulk water heating. This study represents a new avenue for the design and fabrication of electrodes for temperature-sensitive electrochemical and biological systems.
V. Ancona, A. Caracciolo, D. Borello et al.
International Journal of Environmental Impacts: Management, Mitigation and Recovery · 2020
Pollution of soil and water environments is mainly due to different anthropogenic factors, and the presence of organic contaminants, in particular persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic ones, arouses concern for their possible effects on environment and human health. One nature-based technology that can be used in biodegradation of contaminated soil and water is microbial fuel cells (MFCs). They are also capable of producing energy and of being used as environmental sensors. In this context, this article aims at presenting the capacity of MFCs to reduce environmental pollution by exploiting the process of bioelectrochemical utilization of organic matter via microbial metabolism, to generate usable byproducts, fuels and bioelectricity. The main characteristic of an MFC, when used for energy harvesting, is the absence of emissions of pollutant gases such as CO, CO 2 , SOx or NOx. This characteristic, together with the intrinsic capacity of bioreactors to decontaminate soils and water, is stimulating the research into engineering solutions exploiting the MFC potential. Among the different types of MFCs, as bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), the terrestrial microbial fuel cells and the wastewater microbial fuel cells convert energy using a biocatalyst (microorganism) and a biofuel (organic substrate) in basic environments such as soil and water. Consequently, MFCs can be used as energy sources for powering sensors with low-power and low-voltage characteristics or complete single nodes of a distributed wireless sensor network, if coupled with smart although more complex electronic circuit. Moreover, MFCs can be environmental sensors, suited to monitoring some environmental parameters influencing MFC functional behaviours such as pH and temperature. This article introduces the polluted environment scenarios where these technologies could be suitably applied together with the description of two main types of MFC structures and their functioning. Furthermore, some case studies in which MFCs are used in decontamination of polluted environments are described.
Yajing Guo, Jiao Wang, Shrameeta Shinde et al.
RSC Advances · 2020
The development of microbial fuel cell (MFC) makes it possible to generate clean electricity as well as remove pollutants from wastewater. Extensive studies on MFC have focused on structural design and performance optimization, and tremendous advances have been made in these fields. However, there is still a lack of systematic analysis on biocatalysts used in MFCs, especially when it comes to pollutant removal and simultaneous energy recovery. In this review, we aim to provide an update on MFC-based wastewater treatment and energy harvesting research, and analyze various biocatalysts used in MFCs and their underlying mechanisms in pollutant removal as well as energy recovery from wastewater. Lastly, we highlight key future research areas that will further our understanding in improving MFC performance for simultaneous wastewater treatment and sustainable energy harvesting.
Chuan-Yi Wu, Chi-Wei Liu, Jing-Siang Chen et al.
2022 IEEE International Solid- State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) · 2022
Soil monitoring provides comprehensive information on the ecosystem and soil functions, but it involves intensive field sampling and costly laboratory analysis. Advanced wireless sensor networks ease the sampling process and labor efforts [1]. However, the proliferation of wireless environmental monitoring applications is problematic in maintaining the power required for proper operation. Also, battery poses issues for minimizing sensor nodes and limiting environmental pollution. Ambient energy harvesting offers an alternative power supply to operate the sensor interface and wireless transceiver [2]–[5]. However, batteryless wireless sensor nodes typically suffer from low RF-powering sensitivity (~ -20dBm) [2], [5] and a short communication distance [4], making them unsuitable for wide-range environmental monitoring.
A. Shukla, Shirsendu Mitra, Shikha Dhakar et al.
ACS Applied Bio Materials · 2022
With the continuous growth in world population and economy, the global energy demand is increasing rapidly. Given that non-renewable energy sources will eventually deplete, there is increasing need for clean, alternative renewable energy sources, which will be inexpensive and involve minimum risk of environmental pollution. In this paper, harnessing the activity of cupric reductase NDH-2 enzyme present in Escherichia coli bacterial cells, we demonstrate a simple and efficient energy harvesting strategy within an electrochemical chamber without the requirement of any external fuels or force fields. The transduction of energy has been demonstrated with various strains of E. coli, indicating that this strategy could, in principle, be applicable for other microbial catalytic systems. We offer a simple mechanism of the energy transduction process considering the bacterial enzyme-mediated redox reaction occurring over the working electrode of the electrochemical cell. Also, the amount of energy generated has been found to be depending on the motility of bacteria within the experimental chamber, suggesting possible opportunities for developing microbial motility-controlled small scale power generators. Finally, we show that the Faradaic electrochemical energy harvested is large enough to power a commercial light emitting diode connected to an amplifier circuit. We expect the present study to generate sufficient interest within soft condensed matter and biophysics communities, and offer useful platforms for controlled energy generation at the small scales.
John Greenman, Robin Thorn, Neil Willey et al.
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology · 2024
Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) can be fuelled using biomass derived from dead plant material and can operate on plant produced chemicals such as sugars, carbohydrates, polysaccharides and cellulose, as well as being “fed” on a regular diet of primary biomass from plants or algae. An even closer relationship can exist if algae (e.g., prokaryotic microalgae or eukaryotic and unicellular algae) can colonise the open to air cathode chambers of MFCs driving photosynthesis, producing a high redox gradient due to the oxygenic phase of collective algal cells. The hybrid system is symbiotic; the conditions within the cathodic chamber favour the growth of microalgae whilst the increased redox and production of oxygen by the algae, favour a more powerful cathode giving a higher maximum voltage and power to the photo-microbial fuel cell, which can ultimately be harvested for a range of end-user applications. MFCs can utilise a wide range of plant derived materials including detritus, plant composts, rhizodeposits, root exudates, dead or dying macro- or microalgae, via Soil-based Microbial Fuel Cells, Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells, Plant-based microbial fuel cells, floating artificial islands and constructed artificial wetlands. This review provides a perspective on this aspect of the technology as yet another attribute of the benevolent Bioelectrochemical Systems.
Narendran Sekar, Rachit Jain, Yajun Yan et al.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering · 2016
ABSTRACT Photosynthetic energy conversion using natural systems is increasingly being investigated in the recent years. Photosynthetic microorganisms, such as cyanobacteria, exhibit light‐dependent electrogenic characteristics in photo‐bioelectrochemical cells (PBEC) that generate substantial photocurrents, yet the current densities are lower than their photovoltaic counterparts. Recently, we demonstrated that a cyanobacterium named Nostoc sp. employed in PBEC could generate up to 35 mW m −2 even in a non‐engineered PBEC. With the insights obtained from our previous research, a novel and successful attempt has been made in the current study to genetically engineer the cyanobacteria to further enhance its extracellular electron transfer. The cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 was genetically engineered to express a non‐native redox protein called outer membrane cytochrome S (OmcS). OmcS is predominantly responsible for metal reducing abilities of exoelectrogens such as Geobacter sp. The engineered S. elongatus exhibited higher extracellular electron transfer ability resulting in approximately ninefold higher photocurrent generation on the anode of a PBEC than the corresponding wild‐type cyanobacterium. This work highlights the scope for enhancing photocurrent generation in cyanobacteria, thereby benefiting faster advancement of the photosynthetic microbial fuel cell technology. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 675–679. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Angelika E.W. Horst, Klaus‐Michael Mangold, Dirk Holtmann
Biotechnology and Bioengineering · 2016
ABSTRACT Combining the advantages of biological components (e.g., reaction specificity, self‐replication) and electrochemical techniques in bioelectrochemical systems offers the opportunity to develop novel efficient and sustainable processes for the production of a number of valuable products. The choice of electrode material has a great impact on the performance of bioelectrochemical systems. In addition to the redox process at the electrodes, interactions of biocatalysts with electrodes (e.g., enzyme denaturation or biofouling) need to be considered. In recent years, gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) have proved to be very attractive electrodes for bioelectrochemical purposes. GDEs are porous electrodes, that posses a large three‐phase boundary surface. At this interface, a solid catalyst supports the electrochemical reaction between gaseous and liquid phase. This mini‐review discusses the application of GDEs in microbial and enzymatic fuel cells, for microbial electrolysis, in biosensors and for electroenzymatic synthesis reactions. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 260–267. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Emre Cevik, Muhammad Hassan, Mohammed Ashraf Gondal
Energy Technology · 2021
Herein, photocurrent generating a millimeter‐scale bioelectrochemical cell (mBEC) is fabricated using a thylakoid membrane (TM) on a screen‐printed electrode (SPE). The mBEC is used to generate a direct and mediated photocurrent without using a selective membrane. The mediated photocurrent generation is tested with iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) coated on the SPE surface and the water soluble mediators potassium hexacyanoferrate (FCN) and p‐Benzoquinone (BQ). The SPE/TM system produces a 4.35 μA cm −2 photocurrent without using a mediator obtained by direct electron transfer (DET). A significant enhancement reaches the current generation when an efficient amount of mediator is used in the system. The SPE/NP/BQ/TM system produces a 55 μA cm −2 photocurrent with an incorporation among TM, NP, and BQ. The performance of the mBECs is tested by taking the measurements from series and parallel connected cells. An enhanced photocurrent generation of 178 μA cm −2 is attained when the four cells are connected in series. Also, a higher light conversion rate is achieved by the parallel connected two cells. In addition, the maximum current density of mBEC obtained from the SPE/NP/BQ/TM cell at a pseudo‐steady state is 180 mA m −2 at a power density of 40 mWm −2 .
Tertsegha J.‐P. Ivase, Bemgba B. Nyakuma, Olagoke Oladokun et al.
Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy · 2020
Abstract Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) are commonly utilized to generate green electricity, chemicals, and materials through bioelectrocatalytic processes. Over the years, the growing interests in low carbon energy, wastes valorization and the sustainable bioremediation of environmental pollutants have generated interests in BES such as microbial fuel cells (MFC) and bioelectrochemical fuel cells (BFC). The MFCs are the most advanced BES that can ensure the microbial conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. Therefore, this article seeks to review and present valuable literature on the fundamental operational principles, mechanisms and understanding of BES such as MFCs. It seeks to highlight the schematics of these systems along with the processes and mechanisms such as the oxidation of organic substrates ranging from acetate compounds to complex mixtures. Furthermore, the prospects, challenges, and future applications of BES technologies are presented. The findings indicate that BFCs and MFCs are hampered by low efficiencies, energy output, mass transfer, porosity, and proton conductivity of the electrode and membrane materials along with mechanical strength, scalability, biocompatibility, and chemical stability. However, BES could potentially impact on clean energy production, greenhouse gases mitigation, wastewater treatment, bioanalysis, biosensors, and environmental remediation in the future.
Alistair J. McCormick, Paolo Bombelli, Robert W. Bradley et al.
Energy & Environmental Science · 2015
Correction for ‘Biophotovoltaics: oxygenic photosynthetic organisms in the world of bioelectrochemical systems’ by Alistair J. Mccormick et al., Energy Environ. Sci. , 2015, DOI: 10.1039/c4ee03875d.
André Baudler, Igor Schmidt, Markus Langner et al.
Energy & Environmental Science · 2015
Here we propose copper as a high performance and economically viable anode material for microbial bioelectrochemical systems.
S. Malik, Shristi Kishore, Archna Dhasmana et al.
Water · 2023
The treatment of wastewater is an expensive and energy-extensive practice that not only ensures the power generation requirements to sustain the current energy demands of an increasing human population but also aids in the subsequent removal of enormous quantities of wastewater that need to be treated within the environment. Thus, renewable energy source-based wastewater treatment is one of the recently developing techniques to overcome power generation and environmental contamination issues. In wastewater treatment, microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has demonstrated a promising potential to evolve as a sustainable approach, with the simultaneous recovery of energy and nutrients to produce bioelectricity that harnesses the ability of electrogenic microbes to oxidize organic contaminants present in wastewater. Since traditional wastewater treatment has various limitations, sustainable implementations of MFCs might be a feasible option in wastewater treatment, green electricity production, biohydrogen synthesis, carbon sequestration, and environmentally sustainable sewage treatment. In MFCs, the electrochemical treatment mechanism is based on anodic oxidation and cathodic reduction reactions, which have been considerably improved by the last few decades of study. However, electricity production by MFCs remains a substantial problem for practical implementations owing to the difficulty in balancing yield with overall system upscaling. This review discusses the developments in MFC technologies, including improvements to their structural architecture, integration with different novel biocatalysts and biocathode, anode, and cathode materials, various microbial community interactions and substrates to be used, and the removal of contaminants. Furthermore, it focuses on providing critical insights and analyzing various types, processes, applications, challenges, and futuristic aspects of wastewater treatment-related MFCs and thus sustainable resource recovery. With appropriate planning and further studies, we look forward to the industrialization of MFCs in the near future, with the idea that this will lead to greener fuels and a cleaner environment for all of mankind.
Vinay Virupaksha, Mary Harty, Kevin McDonnell
Energies · 2019
Microgeneration of electricity using solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is a sustainable form of renewable energy, however uptake in Ireland remains very low. The aim of this study is to assess the potential of the community-based roof top solar PV microgeneration system to supply electricity to the grid, and to explore a crowd funding mechanism for community ownership of microgeneration projects. A modelled microgeneration project was developed: the electricity load profiles of 68 residential units were estimated; a community-based roof top solar PV system was designed; an electricity network model, based on a real network supplying a town and its surrounding areas, was created; and power flow analysis on the electrical network for system peak and minimum loads was carried out. The embodied energy, energy payback time, GHG payback time, carbon credits and financial cost relating to the proposed solar PV system were calculated. Different crowdfunding models were assessed. Results show the deployment of community solar PV system projects have significant potential to reduce the peak demand, smooth the load profile, assist in the voltage regulation and reduce electrical losses and deliver cost savings to distribution system operator and the consumer.
Yuda Zhang, Guangjie Yuan, Yan Xia et al.
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy · 2025
With the growing issue of carbon dioxide emissions alongside energy consumption, hydrogen has garnered significant attention due to its net-zero emissions characteristics. From the industrial production of hydrogen to the exploration and development of hydrogen storage, as well as transportation and underground hydrogen storage (UHS), new integrated technologies and techniques have gradually emerged. However, unresolved technical challenges persist. Analysis of pilot test projects for UHS and hydrogen hybrid storage reveals that some experiences from salt cavern gas storage can be directly applied to hydrogen storage. However, potential technical difficulties and failure risks remain key constraints on the construction of salt cavern hydrogen storage facilities. Currently identified technical challenges include, but are not limited to, hydrogen spillage, microbial consumption, chemical reactions, and other mechanisms leading to underground hydrogen loss as well as integrity issues with wellbore materials (such as metals, cement, and elastomers). This paper summarizes the current technical status of hydrogen storage and emphasizes the need to enhance research and development of experimental equipment and numerical simulation software for underground hydrogen storage. Additionally, it highlights the importance of advancing exploration into porous formation hydrogen storage. This paper provides a theoretical foundation for the development of UHS.
Zhen Q. Wang, Heng Song, Noritaka Hara et al.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2020
Living systems provide a promising approach to chemical synthesis, having been optimized by evolution to convert renewable carbon sources such as glucose to an enormous range of small molecules. However, a large number of synthetic structures can still be difficult to obtain solely from cells, such as unsubstituted hydrocarbons. In this work, we demonstrate the use of a hybrid cellular-heterogeneous catalytic strategy to produce olefins from glucose, using a selective hydrolase to generate an activated intermediate that is readily deoxygenated. Using a new family of iterative thiolase enzymes, we have genetically engineered a microbial strain that produces 4.3 ± 0.4 g L−1 of fatty acid from glucose with 86% captured as 3-hydroxyoctanoic and 3-hydroxydecanoic acids. This 3-hydroxy substituent serves as a leaving group enabling heterogeneous tandem decarboxylation-dehydration routes to olefinic products on Lewis acidic catalysts without the additional redox input required for enzymatic or chemical deoxygenation of simple fatty acids.
A. Dabai, K. Mohammed
Platform : A Journal of Science and Technology · 2021
An enormous amount of wastewater was produced due to domestic, municipal, agricultural, and industrial activities of varying strength and contamination. These usually contained a high level of pollutants that include inorganic and organic pollutants, pesticides, and heavy metals. Physio-chemical treatment approaches were employed to treat these recalcitrant contaminants and effectively handle extremely toxic substances within a short period. However, despite this, these treatments were associated with setbacks, including incomplete pollutant removals, lack of multiple pollutants removal capabilities, excessive sludge production, and cost of energy and chemical employed. Hybrid microbial treatment systems were efficient due to their potential to remove multiple contaminants like heavy metals, BOD, COD, assimilate nutrients, production of renewable energy alternatives, and easily recycled or regenerated. The future bottleneck in terms of best microbial proportions for higher growth rates and removal efficiencies is highlighted. Keywords: algae, bacteria, proportion, heavy metals, adsorption, toxic
Xiaocheng Jiang, Jinsong Hu, Alexander M Lieber et al.
Nano Letters · 2014
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been the focus of substantial research interest due to their potential for long-term, renewable electrical power generation via the metabolism of a broad spectrum of organic substrates, although the low power densities have limited their applications to date. Here, we demonstrate the potential to improve the power extraction by exploiting biogenic inorganic nanoparticles to facilitate extracellular electron transfer in MFCs. Simultaneous short-circuit current recording and optical imaging on a nanotechnology-enabled platform showed substantial current increase from Shewanella PV-4 after the formation of cell/iron sulfide nanoparticle aggregates. Detailed characterization of the structure and composition of the cell/nanoparticle interface revealed crystalline iron sulfide nanoparticles in intimate contact with and uniformly coating the cell membrane. In addition, studies designed to address the fundamental mechanisms of charge transport in this hybrid system showed that charge transport only occurred in the presence of live Shewanella, and moreover demonstrated that the enhanced current output can be attributed to improved electron transfer at cell/electrode interface and through the cellular-networks. Our approach of interconnecting and electrically contacting bacterial cells through biogenic nanoparticles represents a unique and promising direction in MFC research and has the potential to not only advance our fundamental knowledge about electron transfer processes in these biological systems but also overcome a key limitation in MFCs by constructing an electrically connected, three-dimensional cell network from the bottom-up.
K R S Pamintuan, A J S Gonzales, B M M Estefanio et al.
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science · 2018
Plant-microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) are an emerging renewable energy source that can utilize wasted organic matter to produce electricity. In this study, the PMFC technology was hybridized to include phytoremediation of nickel. The main purpose of this study was to determine the effect of combining PMFC technology with phytoremediation of nickel. Three systems were designed for this study. System A is a control for PMFC, system B is a control for phytoremediation, and system C is the combination of the two processes. The combined PMFC and phytoremediation system showed that it has a significantly higher power output than the control (system A). The control PMFC had a maximum power density of 0.29 mW/m2, while the hybrid process produced a maximum power density of 0.86 mW/m2 which is three times than the output of the control. In terms of the Ni2+ uptake, the control recorded a metal uptake of 108.79 μg/g dry weight, lower than the Ni2+ uptake of the combined process at 212.42 μg/g dry weight. Overall, the positive results of this study is recommended to be replicated and tested with other plants and heavy metals to establish a new hybrid process of bioelectricity generation and phytoremediation.
Liang Tan, Yide Yang, Nan Li et al.
Catalysis Science & Technology · 2017
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs), as an ideal device, are highly attractive for renewable and sustainable energy storage. On the other hand, the development of low-cost and efficient catalysts based on earth-abundant elements for the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has remained elusive. Herein, a robust non-precious metal-based electrocatalyst is demonstrated, consisting of nitrogen-doped carbon hollow spheres elaborately decorated with Co3O4 nanoparticles (HCN-Co3O4). The unique structure of HCN-Co3O4 fully enables the utilization of synergistic effect of the high activity of Co3O4 and the excellent conductivity of HCN, endowing the hybrid with an excellent ORR catalytic activity in MFCs. Benefiting from intriguing structural features, HCN-Co3O4 exhibits a significantly enhanced electrocatalytical performance towards the ORR both in alkaline and neutral conditions, superior cycling stability, and outstanding durability compared to pure Co3O4 and hollow Co3O4 (H-Co3O4) spheres. Moreover, the high power density of the self-assembled MFCs equipped with the HCN-Co3O4 cathode also indicates the feasibility of the catalyst for practical applications.
M. Islam, L. Chen, J. Sisler et al.
Journal of Materials Chemistry B · 2018
Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), a class of sustainable nanomaterial derived from forest and agro-biomass can serve as nature's storage for carbon dioxide. It has many attractive features, such as large specific surface area, high tensile strength and stiffness, abundance of surface hydroxyl groups, and they are also biocompatible, biodegradable and renewable. When dispersed in a polar solvent, they assemble to form multiphase or higher order structures yielding desirable optical and structural properties. They are being explored as templates for the design of a wide range of new functional nanomaterials. CNCs are excellent support for the loading of inorganic nanoparticles (e.g. Ag, Au, Pt, Pd etc.) yielding stable nano-hybrids in aqueous media. Additional surface functionalization of CNCs impart new and attractive physicochemical properties that are being exploited for application in sensors, catalysts, drug delivery vehicles, anti-microbial agents, scaffold for tissue engineering, biomarkers etc. This review provides an overview and future perspective on recent advances in the development on functional CNC-inorganic hybrids with potential applications in biomedical and chemical systems.
M. Fasihi, Fatemeh Jouzi, Petri Tervasmäki et al.
Nature Communications · 2025
The environmental impacts of the food system exceed several planetary boundaries, with protein production being a major contributor. Single-Cell Protein (SCP) is a protein-rich microbial biomass that offers a sustainable alternative when derived from renewable energy and sustainable feedstocks. We evaluate the global potential for SCP production utilising electrolytic hydrogen and oxygen, atmospheric carbon dioxide and nitrogen, and hourly-optimised hybrid PV-wind power plants at a 0.45° × 0.45° spatial resolution. We outline a roadmap for industrial-scale production, commencing in 2028, targeting an annual capacity of 30 million tonnes of protein by 2050. Here we show that the cost of renewable electricity-based protein (e-protein) could decline at optimal sites from 5.5–6.1 € kg−1 in 2028 to 4.0–4.5 € kg−1 by 2030, and further to 2.1–2.3 € kg−1 by 2050. Consequently, e-protein production can mostly decouple protein supply from water and arable land constraints, substantially mitigating the environmental impacts of food production.
Arul M. Varman, Rhiannon Follenfant, Fang Liu et al.
Biotechnology for Biofuels · 2018
BackgroundEngineering strategies to create promoters that are both higher strength and tunable in the presence of inexpensive compounds are of high importance to develop metabolic engineering technologies that can be commercialized. Lignocellulosic biomass stands out as the most abundant renewable feedstock for the production of biofuels and chemicals. However, lignin a major polymeric component of the biomass is made up of aromatic units and remains as an untapped resource. Novel synthetic biology tools for the expression of heterologous proteins are critical for the effective engineering of a microbe to valorize lignin. This study demonstrates the first successful attempt in the creation of engineered promoters that can be induced by aromatics present in lignocellulosic hydrolysates to increase heterologous protein production.ResultsA hybrid promoter engineering approach was utilized for the construction of phenolic-inducible promoters of higher strength. The hybrid promoters were constructed by replacing the spacer region of an endogenous promoter, PemrR present in E. coli that was naturally inducible by phenolics. In the presence of vanillin, the engineered promoters Pvtac, Pvtrc, and Pvtic increased protein expression by 4.6-, 3.0-, and 1.5-fold, respectively, in comparison with a native promoter, PemrR. In the presence of vanillic acid, Pvtac, Pvtrc, and Pvtic improved protein expression by 9.5-, 6.8-, and 2.1-fold, respectively, in comparison with PemrR. Among the cells induced with vanillin, the emergence of a sub-population constituting the healthy and dividing cells using flow cytometry was observed. The analysis also revealed this smaller sub-population to be the primary contributor for the increased expression that was observed with the engineered promoters.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the first successful attempt in the creation of engineered promoters that can be induced by aromatics to increase heterologous protein production. Employing promoters inducible by phenolics will provide the following advantages: (1) develop substrate inducible systems; (2) lower operating costs by replacing expensive IPTG currently used for induction; (3) develop dynamic regulatory systems; and (4) provide flexibility in operating conditions. The flow cytometry findings strongly suggest the need for novel approaches to maintain a healthy cell population in the presence of phenolics to achieve increased heterologous protein expression and, thereby, valorize lignin efficiently.
Yuxiao Wu, Manish Shetty, Kechun Zhang et al.
· 2021
Combined chemical technologies of microbial fermentation and thermal catalysis provides a hybrid process for sustainable manufacturing of biorenewable sugar-derived monomers for plastics. In this work, methacrylic acid (MAA), a target molecule for the polymer industry, was produced from biomass-derived glucose through the intermediate molecule, citramalic acid. The biosynthetic pathway engineered in E. coli produced citramalic acid intermediate with a high yield (91% of theoretical maximum) from glucose by overexpressing citramalate synthase, removing downstream degradation enzyme 3-isopropylmalate dehydratase, and optimizing the fermentation medium. Thermal heterogeneous catalysis converted the citramalate intermediate to methacrylic acid (MAA) via decarboxylation and dehydration. A selectivity of ~71% for the production of MAA and its intermediate α-hydroxybutyric acid was achieved at a temperature of 250 oC and an acidity of 1.0 mol acid/mol citramalate. An alumina catalyst was found to enhance selectivity to MAA in a single reactor pass from 45.6% in the absence of catalyst to 63.2%. This limited selectivity to MAA was attributed to equilibrium between MAA and α-hydroxybutyric acid, but overall process selectivity to MAA was shown to be higher upon separation and recycle of reaction intermediates. A process flow diagram was proposed of the hybrid route for the conversion of glucose to the final end product, methacrylic acid, for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).
S. A. Qamar, A. Riasat, Muhammad Jahangeer et al.
Journal of Basic Microbiology · 2022
Polysaccharides are biobased polymers obtained from renewable sources. They exhibit various interesting features including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and nontoxicity. Microbial polysaccharides are produced by several microorganisms including yeast, fungi, algae, and bacteria. Microbial polysaccharides have gained high importance in biotechnology due to their novel physiochemical characteristics and composition. Among microbial polysaccharides, xanthan, alginate, gellan, and dextran are the most commonly reported polysaccharides for the development of biomimetic materials for biomedical applications including targeted drug delivery, wound healing, and tissue engineering. Several chemical and physical cross‐linking reactions are performed to increase their technological and functional properties. Owning to the broad‐scale applications of microbial polysaccharides, this review aims to summarize the characteristics with different ways of physical/chemical crosslinking for polysaccharide regulation. Recently, several biopolymers have gained high importance due to their biologically active properties. This will help in the formation of bioactive nutraceuticals and functional foods. This review provides a perspective on microbial polysaccharides, with special emphasis given to applications in promising biosectors and the subsequent advancement on the discovery and development of new polysaccharides for adding new products.
Karunakaran Venkatesan, Uma Govindarajan
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy · 2019
This paper proposed an optimal control technique for power flow control of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRESs) like a combined photovoltaic and wind turbine system with energy storage. The proposed optimal control technique is the joined execution of both the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) and the artificial neural network (ANN). Here, the ANN learning process has been enhanced by utilizing the WOA optimization process with respect to the minimum error objective function and named as WOANN. The proposed WOANN predicts the required control gain parameters of the HRES to maintain the power flow, based on the active and reactive power variation in the load side. To predict the control gain parameters, the proposed technique considers power balance constraints like renewable energy source accessibility, storage element state of charge, and load side power demand. By using the proposed technique, power flow variations between the source side and the load side and the operational cost of HRES in light of weekly and daily prediction grid electricity prices have been minimized. The proposed technique is implemented in the MATLAB/Simulink working stage, and the effectiveness is analyzed via the comparison analysis using the existing techniques.
Yadala Pavankumar, Ravindra Kollu, Sudipta Debnath
IET Renewable Power Generation · 2021
Abstract The variable nature of the renewable energy resources (RES) complicates their modelling, operation, and integration to the grid. Therefore, it is difficult to choose optimal RES with a proper energy storage system (ESS) for the economic and reliable operation of the grid‐integrated hybrid renewable energy system (HRES). There is a need to solve this optimal HRES problem using efficient algorithms due to the high cost and model complexity involved. In this study, optimal photovoltaic, wind, biomass, and battery‐based grid‐integrated HRES is proposed using a multi‐objective artificial cooperative search algorithm (MOACS) to minimise annual life cycle costing and loss of power supply probability. ESS is chosen to provide a backup power supply for at least 30 min during peak load condition. A probabilistic approach is used to consider the time‐varying nature of the RES and load while solving optimal HRES design problem by employing MOACS. A comparative analysis is provided at the end, which shows that MOACS can provide a better optimal design of HRES.
Shanmuganatha Vadivel Kasi, Narottam Das, Sanath Alahakoon et al.
IET Renewable Power Generation · 2025
Abstract Renewable energy sources (RES) are vital for addressing fossil fuel challenges and promoting environmental sustainability by reducing air pollution. Hybrid RES (HRES) in microgrids (MGs) enhance energy efficiency and reliability but face issues like energy management, load demand, and efficiency. Existing research on HRES in MGs often lacks efficiency, reliability, and accuracy. This model proposes a solution using ant lion colony optimization with particle swarm optimization (ALCO‐PSO) for Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) to improve power efficiency. The ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm offers higher efficiency and better global search, but suffers from limitations such as computational complexity and premature convergence. The lion optimization algorithm (LOA) addresses these issues, enhancing the algorithm's robustness. However, ALCO faces challenges like limited scalability and global search ability, which are overcome by integrating particle swarm optimization (PSO). Additionally, direct current (DC) fault detection is enhanced using an artificial neural network (ANN) with solar data. The model's performance is evaluated using power, voltage, and power quality metrics, achieving 99.56% accuracy, faster convergence (0.11 s), an oscillation around 4.25 W, a tracking time of 0.2 s, an interruptible load of 0.009%, cost of energy (COE) of 0.0413%, and a penalty of 0.94 $/kWh.
P Nagasekhara Reddy, K Prashanth
Solar Energy Systems and Smart Electrical Grids for Sustainable Renewable Energy · 2025
The growing adoption of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) necessitates advanced optimization strategies to ensure efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in modern power grids. The integration of multi-technology energy storage solutions plays a crucial role in mitigating the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources, enhancing grid stability, and enabling real-time energy management. This book chapter explores the role of hybrid energy storage systems in optimizing renewable energy utilization through intelligent control mechanisms, predictive analytics, and decentralized energy management frameworks. The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and multi-objective optimization techniques facilitates adaptive decision-making, efficient power distribution, and enhanced energy security. Decentralized energy storage networks and AI-driven demand-side optimization strategies improve grid resilience while minimizing transmission losses. Challenges related to storage system interoperability, economic feasibility, and large-scale implementation are critically analyzed, along with potential solutions leveraging emerging technologies. By addressing these key aspects, this chapter provides a comprehensive foundation for optimizing hybrid renewable energy systems in the evolving landscape of smart grids.
Luis Recalde, Hong Yue, William Leithead et al.
Volume 10: Ocean Renewable Energy · 2019
Abstract Integrating marine renewables and aquaculture is a complex task. The generated power of each renewable technology depends on its source cycle (wind, wave, solar PV), leading to periods of zero power production. On the other side, aquaculture farms require smooth and stable power supply since any power shortage can lead to the loss of the entire farm production. This paper illustrates the sizing of a hybrid energy system (wind,solar PV, energy storage) to power up the aquaculture farm. The sizing is based on available commercial technology and the system is mounted on a single multi-purpose platform. Reliability is improved by considering device redundancies. Such hybrid system has not been considered before for aquaculture farms. System rough sizing, based on simple online renewable energy calculators, is used to select existing renewable technologies and HOMER Pro simulation software is used to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of the microgrid for all possible combinations of the technology selected and perform sensitivity analysis on wind turbine tower height, battery state of charge and solar PV panels reflectance. The optimisation is subject to combined dispatch strategy and net present cost.
Farnam Dehghani, Mohammad Agha Shafiyi
IET Renewable Power Generation · 2023
Abstract Renewable energy sources play an important role in providing clean energy for future electricity networks. As the penetration level of these resources grows, their integration with the grid will be more challenging. Each renewable energy source has different inherent characteristics that, if appropriately used in the generation mix, could complement each other and create many technical and economic benefits for the power system. Usually, renewable energy resource complementarity studies are carried out with the objectives of smooth effect, reducing the need for storage and load tracking. In this study, the economic complementarity approach is introduced with the help of a Mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model. This approach can integrate renewable and storage energy sources with the grid and determine the optimal capacity of these resources in complementary used mode. The results show that the proposed method always imposes the system's lowest annual operation and investment costs.
Anup Shukla, Sri Niwas Singh
IET Renewable Power Generation · 2016
During the last few years, greenhouse gas emission especially from electric power generation is a major concern due to the global warming and environmental change, therefore, committing the generating units on minimum cost criterion is shifting toward minimising the cost with minimum emission. Due to the conflicting nature of economic and emission objectives, the generation scheduling becomes a multi‐objective problem. In this study, a weighted sum method is applied to convert multi‐objective problem to a single‐objective problem by linear combination of different objectives as a weighted sum and an efficient hybrid algorithm is presented for aiding unit commitment (UC) decisions in such environments. Due to uncertainty of wind power generation, the UC problem has become complex. To handle uncertainty, scenario generation and reduction techniques are used. The proposed hybrid approach is a combination of weighted improved crazy particle swarm optimisation with pseudo code algorithm, which is enhanced by extended priority list to handle the spinning reserve constraints and a heuristic search algorithm to handle minimum up/down time constraints. Simulation results confirm the potential and effectiveness of proposed approach after comparison with other methods reported in the literature.
Seifeddine Abdelkader Belfedhal, EL Madjid Berkouk, Youcef Messlem
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy · 2019
This paper proposes a DC-linked hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) connected to the grid through a three level neutral point clamped converter. The proposed structure consists of a wind generator (with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)), power limitation, and pitch control modes) with a flywheel energy storage system, a photovoltaic generator (MPPT and power limitation modes) with a battery, and a super-capacitor connected to each capacitor of the DC link of the three level converter. With the aim of managing the power flow between the HRES, the grid, and the variable load demand, we designed a power management strategy according to the global state of charge of the storage system, the weather conditions, and the load demand. In order to show the efficiency of the proposed structure and management algorithm, numerical simulation was performed using MATLAB/Simulink.