Green energy generation from microbial fuel cells

Abstract

Energy is a vital need of the human race, which has now become a basic necessity of modern day lifestyles, including food, shelter, and clothing. There are numerous methods of energy generation, which can be categorized into renewable and nonrenewable sources. This chapter deals with one of the eco-friendly schemes of energy generation using microorganisms present in soil, water, and other commodities. The generation of energy occurs in the colony of microorganisms, which can be stored in a container, and the energy generated can be tapped out similarly to the energy from an electrochemical battery or cell. Microorganisms, specifically bacteria, generate the energy, forming their own electrolyte and electrodes in the microbial fuel cell - the anode and cathode. These microbes can be visualized as the conducting ions present in the electrochemical battery, which carry the charge in the electrochemical process. Persistent efforts to elaborate various such energy generation schemes using microbial fuel cells are discussed for better understanding by readers.