Low carbon development based on microbial fuel cells as electrical generation and wastewater treatment unit

• Published in: Renewable energy focus 2023-03, Vol.44, p.132-138
• Main Authors: Mukimin, Aris, Vistanty, Hanny
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Low carbon; Microbial Fuel Cells; Renewable energy; Wastewater, greenhouse gas
• ISSN: 1755-0084; 1878-0229
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ref.2022.12.005

[Display omitted] •Microbial fuel cells are new bioelectrochemical process that produce energy and process wastewater simultaneously.•MFCs can generate electricity up to 6.492 W/m2 while achieved COD removal efficiency 94%.•The greenhouse by CO2 emission removal can reach 4.35 kg CO2/m3 wastewater.•WWT MFCs able to methane reduction until 17.25 kg CH4/m3 wastewater. Indonesia has aimed to use 23% renewable energy in 2025 as an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emission which is of significant importance to global warming and climate change. Microbial fuel cells is another option to generate renewable energy and reduce carbon dioxide and methane emission. The performance of microbial fuel cells is determined by cell configurations, including anode, cathode, microbial inoculum, and design of reactor. Carbon-based anode, platina-doped carbon cathode, anaerobic inoculum and single chamber reactor may lead to enhanced performance of microbial fuel cells. Microbial fuel cells were applied using various synthetic substrates containing glucose, sucrose, acetic acid, ethanol, and municipal or industrial wastewater. Microbial fuel cells could generate electricity of 0.294 – 6492 m W/m2 while achieving COD removal efficiency of 48 – 94%. This technology is a promising technical answer to low-carbon development as it can reduce CO2 and methane while generating electricity. CO2 emission removal of 0.006 – 4.35 kg CO2/m3 wastewater and methane reduction of 0.058 – 17.25 kg CH4/m3 wastewater were achieved.