Bristol BioEnergy Centre
The Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)is a technology that can directly convert organic waste into electricity. The Bioenergy and Self Sustainable Systems Theme is all about bringing this technology to the real world and making the utilisation of waste into energy a reality. Furthermore, being able to generate electricity from naturally occurring biomass, gives robots a novel degree of autonomy that allows their prolonged operation in environments that are inaccessible or even lethal to human beings.
Breaking News
The team has recently demonstrated for the first time the charging of a commercially available mobile phone, using Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) fed with real neat urine. The membrane-less MFCs were made out of ceramic material and employed plain carbon based electrodes. View the relevant scientific publication.
Watch the video of the mobile phone working on urine.
Project overview
An in-depth look into the theory and vision behind the ongoing work into energy autonomy.
Microbial fuel cell research projects
- EcoBot
I
A sugar powered autonomous robot. - EcoBot
II
A robot powered on a diet of flies. - EcoBot
III
A robot with fluid circulation. - EcoBot
IV
Miniaturisation and Multiplication. - Self Sustainable Cathodes for Microbial Fuel
Cells
Development of more sustainable MFC stack system. - Waste and wastewater clean-up using Microbial Fuel
Cells
MFC scale-up and development of power-packs. - Scale-up of MFC's for wastewater
treatment
MFC system capable of long-term use in a water-treatment plant. - Microbial fuel cell stacks
Development of MFC stacks for powering low energy applications. - Artificial gills for robots
MFC power generation underwater. - Urine-tricity - Phase I & II
Producing Electricity from Urine. - Urine-tricity - Phase III
Producing Electricity from Urine. - MFCs for Carbon Capture
Photo-Biologically Driven CO2 Reduction & Energy Generation. - A Robot that Decomposes
Towards Biodegradable Robotic Organisms. - Cathode efficiency
The choice of the metal catalyst at the MFC cathode. - The
Greenius Project
A national competition to drive forwards the UK’s green agenda. - EVOBLISS
A study of microbial evolution over time using a robotic platform.
Theme Leader
- Prof. Ioannis
Ieropoulos
Tel: +44 (0) 117 32 86318
Tel: +44 (0) 117 32 86322
B-BiC team
- Prof. Ioannis Ieropoulos
- Prof. John Greenman
- Ms. Clare Backman
- Dr Jonathan Winfield
- Dr Alexis Walter
- Dr Irene Merino-Jimenez
- Dr Iwona Gajda
- Dr Jiseon You
- Dr Gimi Rimbu
- Dr Tosin Obata
- Ms. Pavlina Theodosiou
- Ms. Olivia Reddy
- Mr Patrick Brinson
- Mr Daniel Sanchez Herranz
- Mr Matt Rudd
- Mr Jean-Michel Maheu
Sponsors and Collaborators

Visit the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Website




Visit the Great Western Research Website

Visit the Laboratoire Ampère website.

Visit the Leverhulme Trust Website

Visit the SUPERGEN Biological Fuel Cells Website

Page last updated 9 October 2017