Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.237631
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) On assessing the energy efficiency of bioelectrochemical systems for cathodic synthesis and remediation
Author Izadi, P. ORCID logo ; Korth, B. ORCID logo ; Harnisch, F. ORCID logo
Source Titel Journal of Power Sources
Year 2025
Department MIBITECH
Volume 652
Page From art. 237631
Language englisch
Topic T7 Bioeconomy
Supplements https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0378775325014673-mmc1.docx
Keywords Energy efficiency; Bioelectrochemical system; Electrochemical CO2 reduction; Coulombic efficiency; Bioelectrochemical denitrification; Microbial electrochemical technology
Abstract Technologies integrating microbiology and electrochemistry are advancing toward technical scales, necessitating early efficiency assessments to guide engineering. Energy efficiency—calculated by balancing energy input and output and linked to economic viability—is an important benchmark. This work emphasizes the need to evaluate energy efficiency in microbial-electrochemical technologies, focusing on examples like cathodic synthesis and bioremediation. Two methodologies are highlighted: voltage efficiency and product-related energy efficiency. Voltage efficiency, is ideal for comparing different experimental setups and electrochemical processes to produce energy carriers and represents the state-of-the-art approach in the field. However, an energy efficiency based on voltage efficiency might exhibit limitations in some cases, and in scenarios where side-products like those at counter electrodes and the evolved heat are not utilized. In addition, we discuss the product-related energy efficiency as an alternative, which evaluates the energy input relative to the useful work provided by oxidation of working electrode products. For systems lacking tangible products, normalizing energy consumption to treated entities, such as the volume or amount of contaminant removed, is recommended. These concepts are illustrated using the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction and bioelectrochemical denitrification, showcasing how energy efficiency assessments can aid in optimizing experimental designs and operations for microbial-electrochemical technologies.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=30922
Izadi, P., Korth, B., Harnisch, F. (2025):
On assessing the energy efficiency of bioelectrochemical systems for cathodic synthesis and remediation
J. Power Sources 652 , art. 237631 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.237631