Microbe-mediated Electricity Generation

Texas A&M Research Foundation, College Station TX

Investigators

Abstract

CBET-0854684 de Figueiredo Microbial fuel cells are remarkable "green energy" devices that exploit microbes to generate electricity from organic compounds. These fuel cells have generated significant excitement in the bioenergy community because of their potential for powering diverse technologies, including waste water treatment, autonomous sensors for long-term operations in low accessibility regions, mobile robot/sensor platforms, and renewable energy systems. Unfortunately, current microbial fuel cells produce low amounts of power, a fact that has stymied widespread application of the technology. A better understanding of how microbes can generate electricity will significantly improve fuel cell performance. In addition, new platforms that allow for microbial electricity production to be studied in a massively parallel fashion are essential to significantly advance the field. With these ideas in mind, a novel technology that can, in a massively parallel fashion, uncover how microbes generate electricity will be developed. In addition, a minority outreach and educational program that will train the next generation leaders in the bioenergy sciences will be pursued. Taken together, these efforts will have far-reaching implications for the study of electricity generation by microbes, and the development of next generation microbial fuel cells.