Install-and-forget ground batteries could provide farmers in Europe with cheap, clean energy

Bacteria-powered batteries could soon provide cheap, sustainable energy to farms.

British start-up Bactery harvests electrons produced by bacteria in the soil to extract clean electricity from the ground.

Batteries that can be charged in the ground can work around the clock – and around the world.

The company’s founders hope the technology will accelerate the shift toward data-driven agriculture, helping farmers increase yields and save resources without having to install expensive and difficult-to-maintain energy infrastructure.

How do bacterial batteries work?

Bacteria powered by bacteria batteries are based on “soil microbial fuel cells” (SMFCs), which capture energy from natural chemical reactions occurring in microorganisms living in the soil.

Carbon electrodes are placed in soil and connected to the external circuit. This system carries electrons produced by certain microorganisms, which “consume” organic compounds present in the soil, turning them into electricity.

Stacks of these cells can be connected a battery store this energy.

Dr. Jakub Dziegielowski was part of the research team that developed SMFC in 2019 while completing his PhD in chemical engineering at the University of Bath in the UK. They have been tested in a water filtration system in Brazil.

Now he’s taking it a step further by developing ways to scale up Electricity generations that are adapted to the biological processes taking place in the soil.

Over the past four years of research and development, “we have learned much more about various bioelectrochemical processes and better understand the roles that both bacteria and soil play in this complex equation,” Dr. Dziegielowski tells Euronews Green.

“This knowledge has enabled us to design solutions that stimulate and control selective processes in the soil, allowing us to maximize the benefits energy mining and maintaining continuous electricity generation for years.”

Over the next 12 months, his company Bactery will continue to refine its prototypes with a view to entering small-scale production before launching a commercial product in 2026.

How can bacterial batteries help farmers?

Technology is developing rapidly to help farmers they collect data on the condition of their fields, take care of crops and reduce costs.

However, internet-connected sensors and devices require power, which is not always easy to install and maintain. Cables can block fields, disposable chemical batteries require monitoring and replacement, and renewable energy sources e.g solar panels work at full capacity only in appropriate weather conditions.

“Farmers increasingly appreciate the importance of data in making informed decisions towards resource efficiency agricultural practices,” says Professor Mirella Di Lorenzo, one of the directors of Bactera and a teacher of chemical engineering at the University of Bath.

“We are removing barriers to generating this data by creating a sustainable way to power sensors and making them always-on, low-cost, maintenance-free and low-impact.”

The bacteria are fed by the soil batteries it can last over 25 years and costs just £25 (€30) each with no maintenance required.

“Bringing our product to this stage and putting theory into practice as a result of several years of research was a difficult but extremely satisfying experience,” says Dr. Dziegielowski.

“I am excited that the company is making a positive difference in agriculture and other sectors.”