Currently, access to electricity in the cities of the Global South is so limited that electrification remains low in rural areas. Unless properly tackled, one-third of the world’s cities will suffer from energy scarcity. The emergence of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology accelerates the deployment of decentralized and sustainable energy solutions that can address the looming energy shortage. This review consolidates scattered knowledge into one article about the performance of MFC in optimizing electricity generation from phosphorus (P)-laden wastewater, while removing the target nutrient from wastewater simultaneously. It is obvious from a literature survey of 108 published articles (1999–2022) that the applications of MFC for building a self-powered municipal water treatment system represents an important breakthrough, as this enables water treatment operators to generate electricity without affecting the atmospheric balance of CO2. Using a pyrite-based wetland MFC, about 91% of P was removed after operating 180 days, while generating power output of 48 A/m 2 . Unlike other techniques, MFCs utilize bacteria that act as micro-reactors and allow substrates to be oxidized completely. The Earth’s tiniest inhabitants can efficiently transform the chemical energy of organic matter in unused wastewater either into hydrogen gas or electricity. This facilitates wastewater treatment plants powering themselves in daily operation or selling electricity on the market. This MFC technology radically changes how to treat wastewater universally. By exploring this direction along the water–energy–food nexus, MFC technology could transform wastewater treatment plants into a key sustainability tool in the energy sector. This suggests that MFCs provide a practical solution that addresses the need of global society for clean water and electricity simultaneously.
1. Introduction
Due to the fact a center out-of globally metropolitan assistance, metropolises has recently came across ventures and you may threats in contributing to carbon dioxide neutrality. The fresh Un (UN) estimated that by the 2050 regarding half dozen klicka pГҐ resurser mil individuals do inhabit urban centers because of fast urbanization . Since the metropolitan populace grows by the 2% annually, squeeze a couple-thirds of one’s planet’s society for the just one-3rd off belongings size off urban centers provides international challenges such as for example times shortage . Already, access to stamina about locations of the Around the world Southern was so restricted that electrification remains disproportionately low in rural section. Unless instantaneously handled, one-3rd of one’s earth’s urban centers will suffer throughout the energy scarcity . It’s estimated your around the globe interest in electricity will grow by twenty five% by the 2030, while the interest in times have a tendency to outgrow the also have to metropolitan areas because of the second ten years.
As the engines of economic development, cities have become the seismographs of global energy demand due to their mandatory service to provide public with reliable energy supply. Since cities contribute to 85% of global energy demand , they have become a central locus of climate change mitigation and the incubators of new solutions for energy shortage (Figure 1). While cities seek solutions to live up to the 2030 UN Agenda, urban development needs to prioritize their need for renewable energy. To cope with the looming energy shortage, electricity, which can be generated from multiple sources, is a key enabler of the energy transition in contributing to the decarbonization of global economy with benefits including CO2 reduction, energy security, and enhanced efficiency.
Global electricity demand has increased by 5000 Terawatt-hours (Twh) in the past decade, accounting for one-fifth of total energy consumption . As electrification is central to climate conservation, uncovering other alternatives of renewable energy is critical for cities to contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #7 ‘Affordable and clean energy’, which serves as a marker for the world to achieve decarbonization goals. UN SDG #7 represents the need of universal access to affordable and clean energy for all through global cooperation. The urgency and roadmap to the carbon neutrality of global economy through renewable energy is a top universal agenda. In 2019, energy sector was responsible for 40% of global CO2 emissions (about 13 gigatons) . With coal, gas, and oil combined, the energy still accounts for two-thirds of the final energy consumption mix. Therefore, decarbonizing the energy sector is critical to meeting climate goals, while shifting away from fossil fuel consumption to electricity-driven solutions. However, the speed of decarbonization varies, depending on the country’s access to electricity and its electrification rate.