Wastewater treatment accounts for about 3% of electrical energy consumed in U.S and other developed countries. Decentralized wastewater treatment is at the forefront of the wastewater industry discussion and is starting to be implemented by small municipalities and cities across the U.S. due to the need to cost effectively relieve pressure on the current wastewater treatment infrastructure. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has emerged as a potential clean technology for renewable energy production and decentralized wastewater treatment. Relatively low power density has been the greatest challenge for practical application of MFC technology in wastewater treatment. Recently, researchers have advanced this technology by developing a reactor design (CEA-MFC) that significantly increases the power density. In this project, the team will fabricate a demonstration CEA-MFC. Successful completion of the project will result in better understanding of key factors surrounding widespread use of this technology.
The performance of CEA-MFCs demonstrates the great potential of MFC technology in converting wastewater treatment from an energy consumer to a net energy producer, as well as reducing fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse emission related to waste treatment. Within the U.S. this could have benefits to the U.S. municipal infrastructure, industry and agriculture. This technology could also be beneficial to developing countries as they work to build infrastructure and improve sanitation and availability of power.
This I-Corps project aims to evaluate the commercial potential of the MFC system for decentralized wastewater treatment. Wastewater treatment accounts for about 3% of electrical energy consumed in U.S and other developed countries. Decentralized wastewater treatment is at the forefront of the wastewater industry discussion and is starting to be implemented by small municipalities and cities across the country due to the need to cost effectively relieve pressure on the current wastewater treatment infrastructure. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology, which uses microorganisms to catalyze the direct generation of electricity from biodegradable organic matter, provides a completely new approach for wastewater treatment. The I-Corps team conducted intensive market research, interviewed over 70 potential customers and received valuable feedback on market demand, market potential and challenges. Through the rigorous I-Corps curriculum, the team refined its business model, identified the target markets and estimated the market size, produced a revenue model, and made a go decision for our start-up. With the help of I-Corps program, Waste2Watergy LLC was founded by the PI and the Entrepreneurial Lead in late 2012. Waste2Watergy is in the process of licensing the related IPs from Oregon State University. With the support of the program, a larger demonstration MFC stack was fabricated and evaluated on site. The preliminary results demonstrated the great potential of MFC technology in high-strength wastewater treatment and power generation. The project also helped OSU and Waste2Watergy in successfully applying an Oregon BEST commercialization award to build a pilot scale reactor and further evaluate the commercial potential of MFC technology for wastewater treatment.
