Sustainable energy generation from water

Sustainable energy production is a huge challenge in our world. Water and water treatment can play an important role in this regard. Wetsus focuses on two sustainable energy alternatives: Bio-electricity formation from wastewater and electricity production from advanced mixing of salt and fresh water. In this visionary theme electrochemistry, membrane technology and biotechnology are the know-how fields that are combined in the research program.

Bio-Electricity
Biofuel cells (1) operate in a similar way as chemical fuel cells do. Organic material is converted by means of bacteria into protons and electrons. The protons diffuse through a proton selective membrane and the electrons travel through an external circuit, thereby generating electricity. They recombine at the other side of the membrane and form, in the presence of oxygen, water (2). Theoretically an energy efficiency of 75% is possible.


 

 

 

 

 

(1) A bacterial fuel cell converting waste
water into electricity                                  (2) Schematic overview of a biofuel cell

Blue Energy
A difference in salt concentration exists between seawater and river water. This gradient can be utilized to generate electricity by separating positive and negative ions by ion specific membranes (3). Mixing seawater and river water in this advanced way has huge advantages: no fuel costs and no emissions but brackish water!

In this project the research will focus on prevention of biofouling on the membranes, on increasing the membrane performance and on process design.

(3) Principle of Blue Energy process