The Potential of Microbial Fuel Cells as a Dual Solution for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Energy Generation: A Case Study

Shajjadur Rahman Shajid, Monjur Mourshed, Md. Golam Kibria and Bahman Shabani ()
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Shajjadur Rahman Shajid: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4130, USA
Monjur Mourshed: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET), Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh
Md. Golam Kibria: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET), Rajshahi 6204, Bangladesh
Bahman Shabani: School of Engineering, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 14, 1-37

Abstract: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bio-electrochemical systems that harness microorganisms to convert organic pollutants in wastewater directly into electricity, offering a dual solution for sustainable wastewater treatment and renewable energy generation. This paper presents a holistic techno-economic and environmental feasibility assessment of large-scale MFC deployment in Dhaka’s industrial zone, Bangladesh, as a relevant case study. Here, treating 100,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily would require a capital investment of approximately USD 500 million, with a total project cost ranging between USD 307.38 million and 1.711 billion, depending on system configurations. This setup has an estimated theoretical energy recovery of 478.4 MWh/day and a realistic output of 382 MWh/day, translating to a per-unit energy cost of USD 0.2–1/kWh. MFCs show great potential for treating wastewater and addressing energy challenges. However, this paper explores remaining challenges, including high capital costs, electrode and membrane inefficiencies, and scalability issues.

Keywords: microbial fuel cell; waste-to-energy; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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