MESSAI.iO
Generic MFCRepresentative model
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Representative MFC — matched on the paper’s system type only, not its reactor or geometry.

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What they did

System
MFC

What worked

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Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bio-electrochemical systems that harness microorganisms to convert organic pollutants in wastewater directly into electricity, offering a dual solution for sustainable wastewater treatment and renewable energy generation. This paper presents a holistic techno-economic and environmental feasibility assessment of large-scale MFC deployment in Dhaka’s industrial zone, Bangladesh, as a relevant case study. Here, treating 100,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily would require a capital investment of approximately USD 500 million, with a total project cost ranging between USD 307.38 million and 1.711 billion, depending on system configurations. This setup has an estimated theoretical energy recovery of 478.4 MWh/day and a realistic output of 382 MWh/day, translating to a per-unit energy cost of USD 0.2–1/kWh. MFCs show great potential for treating wastewater and addressing energy challenges. However, this paper explores remaining challenges, including high capital costs, electrode and membrane inefficiencies, and scalability issues.

Keywords

Microbial fuel cellDual (grammatical number)WastewaterWaste managementSustainable energySewage treatment

Identifiers

DOI
10.3390/en18143725
Journal
Energies
Year
2025