A Review on Progress and Developments of Microbial Fuel Cells for Bioelectricity Generation

Energy is one of the most critical needs of humankind. Global energy demand is predominantly met by conventional energy sources (fossil fuels), which are not abundant enough to satisfy rapidly increasing energy demand and contribute to serious environmental challenges. Thus, renewable energy sources are a realistic approach that can improve energy security and mitigate the upcoming climate change crisis caused by fossil fuel use. In particular, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are one of the potential approaches to combating over-reliance on fossil fuels. MFCs can generate energy from waste/biomass through biocatalysis and are considered a promising opportunity to secure future energy demands using the waste-to-watt conversion approach. However, various configurational, operational, and biological factors influence the performance and advancement of MFCs. This technology has garnered attention from both industrial and research communities to ensure a sustainable future and address pervasive limitations, such as a higher initial cost of acquisition and installation, insufficient efficiency (power density), durability issues, a system prone to corrosion, and regeneration of biocatalysts. This review presents trends of MFCs utilization, including details on challenges, opportunities, and future perspectives. It also highlights prevailing research gaps to inspire researchers interested in improving the performance of MFCs for a sustainable future.