Fuel cells that create energy using chemical reactions in soil-based organisms in successful field test in North-East Brazil.
- Fuel cells that create energy using chemical reactions in soil-based organisms in successful field test in North-East Brazil
- They can be used to produce energy to filter enough water for a person’s daily needs, with potential to increase scale
- “This project shows that SMFCs have true potential as a sustainable, low-energy energy source”, says project lead Dr Mirella Di Lorenzo
Engineers at the University of Bath have shown that it’s possible to capture and use energy created by the natural reactions occurring in microorganisms within soil.
A team of chemical and electrical engineers has demonstrated the potential of cheap, simple ‘soil microbial fuel cells’ (SMFCs), buried in the earth to power an electrochemical reactor that purifies water.
The proof-of-concept design was demonstrated during field testing in North-East Brazil that took place in 2019 and showed that SMFCs can purify about three litres of water per day- enough to cover a person’s daily water needs.
Read more at University of Bath
Image: Jakub Dzieglowski, Dr Jannis Wenk and Dr Mirella Di Lorenzo from the University of Bath testing soil microbial fuel cells in Icapui, Brazil (Credit: University of Bath)
