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How can microbes provide fuels for cars and electricity?
Can microbial organisms be used to create fuel for cars, or for our homes? I thought that microbes produced greenhouse gasses that could be used to power different things, or am I wrong?
Jason Crosby · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Microbial life can provide energy using a certain type of technology known as a microbial fuel cell. The way they work is pretty interesting, actually—the microbes within the fuel cell extract electrons from their food sources and transfer them into an electrical circuit, creating a charge that provides power. In a microbial fuel cell’s cathode, the electrons are then combined with oxygen and are put through a proton exchange membrane, which helps the fuel cell provide a stable flow of electricity.
If it sounds complicated, that’s because it is, and represents a promising avenue for the future of
responsible energy consumption
. It’s hard for microbial fuel cells to be used as car technology to power a car, truck, or SUV
, let alone an entire house, but scientists are looking for ways to streamline the process. One clever method even involves using microbial organisms to clean wastewater, while using their cleaning process to generate energy. In public wastewater collection sites, microbes could one day power entire cities and help them to better manage and recycle their water supply.
While scientists are hard at work finding ways to use microbes to power everyday technology,
Jerry
has been hard at work tracking down the very best car insurance rates, just for you. Jerry contacts your insurance company to get the details of your current coverage so you don’t have to scale a mountain of questions. You get all the best prices and coverage with none of the legwork. And if that isn’t enough for you, Jerry can even help cancel your old policy.View full answer
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