Scalable Hybrid Arrays Overcome Electrode Scaling Limitations in Micro-Photosynthetic Power Cells

Kirankumar Kuruvinashetti () and Muthukumaran Packirisamy ()
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Kirankumar Kuruvinashetti: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
Muthukumaran Packirisamy: Optical-Bio Microsystems Lab, Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-19

Abstract: Micro-photosynthetic power cells (μPSCs), also known as biophotovoltaics (BPVs), represent sustainable and self-regenerating solutions for harvesting electricity from photosynthetic microorganisms. However, their practical deployment has been constrained by low voltage, low current output, and scaling inefficiencies. In this work, we address these limitations through a dual-optimization strategy: (i) systematic quantification of how electrode surface area influences key performance metrics, and (ii) based on our previous work we highlighted the novel hybrid modular array architectures that combine series and parallel connections of μPSCs. Three single μPSCs with electrode areas of 4.84, 19.36, and 100 cm 2 were fabricated and compared, revealing that while open-circuit voltage remains largely area-independent (850–910 mV), both short-circuit current and maximum power scale with electrode size. Building on these insights, two hybrid array configurations fabricated from six 4.84 cm 2 μPSCs achieved power outputs of 869.2 μW and 926.4 μW, equivalent to ~82–87% of the output of a large 100 cm 2 device, while requiring only ~29% electrode area and ~70% less reagent volume. Importantly, these arrays delivered voltages up to 2.4 V, significantly higher than a single large device, enabling easier integration with IoT platforms and ultra-low-power electronics. A meta-analysis of over 40 reported BPV/μPSC systems with different electrode surface areas further validated our findings, showing a consistent inverse relationship between electrode area and power density. Collectively, this study introduces a scalable, resource-efficient strategy for enhancing μPSC performance, providing a novel design paradigm that advances the state of the art in sustainable bioenergy and opens pathways for practical deployment in distributed, low-power and IoT applications.

Keywords: photosynthesis; biophotovoltaics; bioelectricity; algal cells; clean energy technology; micro-photosynthetic power cells (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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