Battery run by bacteria

Could bacteria be built into a battery?

The typical way in which bacterium plays a role in energy conversion is in the synthesis of biogas.

This gas is mostly methane that is produced when bacterium decomposes waster matter — specifically biological materials.

The methane is then burnt — either in a kitchen or in a turbine — to generate electricity.

Altogether, only about half of the biogas end up as current — not a very efficient process. Also, the combustion creates more greenhouse gases, which sort of defeats the purpose.

However, what if the bacterium could directly create electricity without having to go through biogas?

The idea is to have a bacterium as one of the electrodes of a standard battery. When they produce methane, the chemical reaction produces an electron, which can be channeled through the terminal to the other end of the battery.

These electrons are collected and used directly — instead of burning the methane.

Through this approach, the researchers managed to convert 31 percent of the methane into electricity, but they aim at higher efficiencies.

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