Plant microbial fuel cells
Also known as Plant-microbial fuel cell, PMFC, Soil microbial fuel cell, SMFC
Plant and soil microbial fuel cells harvest small electrical currents from microbes that live around plant roots or in soil. Published studies since 2008 report small outputs. Later work from 2024 and 2026 describes longer runs and sensor use, but its full results could not be checked, so its figures are treated as unverified.
In plain language
Some microbes in soil break down organic matter and can pass the electrons they release to an electrode. A plant microbial fuel cell places one electrode in low-oxygen soil and another where oxygen is more available. Electrons flow through an external circuit, and the current can be used to power a small device.
The plant helps by releasing sugars and other compounds from its roots, which feed the microbes. The output is limited, so these cells are best suited to sensors that use very little energy and send data only now and then. Those sensors usually need a small battery or capacitor to store energy between readings.
Technical explanation
A microbial fuel cell couples the oxidation of organic compounds by microorganisms at an anode with the reduction of oxygen at a cathode. In plant-microbial and soil-microbial designs, root exudates and soil organic matter provide the substrate, and electroactive bacteria transfer electrons to the anode. Protons and other ions move through the soil or electrolyte to balance the charge. Output depends on the microbial community, moisture, temperature, oxygen supply, electrode material and the external load. Cathode kinetics and internal resistance can limit performance. In the Spartina anglica study, cathode overpotential during oxygen reduction was the main potential loss (Timmers and colleagues, 2010).
Early reports, including Strik and colleagues (2008), describe electricity production from living plants and bacteria in a fuel cell. Timmers and colleagues (2010) reported a Spartina anglica system that generated current for up to 119 days, with a maximum of 100 mW per square metre of geometric anode area. The authors describe this as the highest reported power output for a plant microbial fuel cell. Two later studies describe longer operation and sensor use. Bataillou and colleagues (2024) report a 900-day long-term study of plant microbial fuel cells with an application for powering wireless sensors, and Kim and colleagues (2026) describe a self-powered soil sensor that uses soil microbial fuel cells. The publisher pages for both studies could not be accessed, so no figures from them are given here.
Design and environmental questions remain open. Power is limited by the cell, and a sensor's radio bursts may exceed what the cell supplies at any moment, so an energy store and power manager are generally needed. An early life-cycle study by Helder and colleagues (2013) found that the environmental performance of a green-roof plant-microbial fuel cell was currently worse than conventional electricity production, mainly because of limited power output and the materials used.
What the evidence says
Each statement is typed by the strength of its evidence and linked to the source that supports it.
Demonstrated Shown in a published experiment, test or shipping product.
Living plants and associated bacteria have produced electrical current in a fuel cell, as reported in 2008 and in the 2010 Spartina anglica study.
Sources: [1], [2] · Title (Strik and colleagues, 2008); abstract via PubMed Central copy (Timmers and colleagues, 2010) · medium confidenceA Spartina anglica plant microbial fuel cell generated current for up to 119 days, with a maximum power of 100 mW per square metre of geometric anode area. The authors describe this as the highest reported power output for a plant microbial fuel cell.
Sources: [2] · Abstract (via PubMed Central copy)Timmers and colleagues found that cathode overpotential during oxygen reduction was the main potential loss in their Spartina anglica system.
Sources: [2] · Abstract (via PubMed Central copy)An early life-cycle assessment found that the environmental performance of a green-roof plant-microbial fuel cell was currently worse than conventional electricity production, mainly because of its limited power output and materials.
Sources: [3] · Abstract (summary of Crossref abstract record) · medium confidenceReported, unverified Stated by a company or team but not independently confirmed.
Bataillou and colleagues describe a 900-day long-term study of plant microbial fuel cells with an application for powering wireless sensors.
Sources: [4] · Title and Crossref metadata; abstract and full text not accessible · medium confidenceKim and colleagues describe a self-powered soil sensor that uses soil microbial fuel cells for autonomous sensors in smart agriculture.
Sources: [5] · Title and Crossref metadata; abstract and full text not accessible · medium confidenceLimitations and open problems
- Reported outputs are small, and the 2013 life-cycle study identifies limited power output as a main weakness (Helder and colleagues, 2013). Peak power is not the same as the average energy a sensor can use, and sensor radios need short bursts that a cell may not supply on its own.
- Soil varies by site, season, moisture, temperature and microbial composition, so results from one setup may not carry over to a field or dryland farm.
- Changes in power output and changes in the monitored soil condition can be hard to separate. A sensor that transmits less often because of low energy could be misread as a soil change.
- Long-term evidence is thin. The studies reviewed are few, and the 2024 and 2026 results could not be checked against their full text.
- An early life-cycle assessment found the environmental performance of a plant-microbial fuel cell worse than conventional electricity production at that stage (Helder and colleagues, 2013).
Possible future uses
Ideas, not predictions. None of these has been demonstrated.
- Long-lived soil moisture nodes in farm fields, if independent calibration shows the sensing is reliable.
- Buried temperature loggers for wetlands or forest soils that need few maintenance visits.
- Battery-reduced sensors for slow environmental monitoring in places where sunlight is blocked.
Timeline
- Jul 2008Strik and colleagues report electricity production from living plants and bacteria in a fuel cell in the International Journal of Energy Research. Sources: [1]
- Feb 2010Timmers and colleagues report a Spartina anglica plant microbial fuel cell generating current for up to 119 days. Sources: [2]
- Jan 2013Helder and colleagues publish a life-cycle assessment of a green-roof plant-microbial fuel cell, finding its environmental performance currently worse than conventional electricity production. Sources: [3]
- Feb 2024Bataillou and colleagues publish a 900-day long-term study of plant microbial fuel cells, with an application for powering wireless sensors. Sources: [4]
- Feb 2026Kim and colleagues publish a self-powered soil sensor study using soil microbial fuel cells. Sources: [5]
Futures this could help bring about
Glossary
- Microbial fuel cell
- An electrochemical device that harvests electrons released by microbes as they break down organic matter.
- Anode
- The electrode where oxidation releases electrons into an external circuit.
- Root exudates
- Compounds released by plant roots into the surrounding soil.
- Duty cycle
- The fraction of time a sensor or radio is active.
Sources
- peer reviewed paper
Green electricity production with living plants and bacteria in a fuel cell
David P. B. T. B. Strik, Hubertus V. M. Hamelers, Jan F. H. Snel et al.. International Journal of Energy Research, Jul 2008. DOI: 10.1002/er.1397. Accessed 21 Oct 2026. - peer reviewed paper
Long-term performance of a plant microbial fuel cell with Spartina anglica
Ruud A. Timmers, David P. B. T. B. Strik, Hubertus V. M. Hamelers et al.. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Feb 2010. DOI: 10.1007/s00253-010-2440-7. Accessed 21 Oct 2026. - peer reviewed paper
Electricity production with living plants on a green roof: environmental performance of the plant-microbial fuel cell
Marjolein Helder, Wei-Shan Chen, Eugenie J. M. van der Harst et al.. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, Jan 2013. DOI: 10.1002/bbb.1373. Accessed 21 Oct 2026. - peer reviewed paper
900-Days long term study of plant microbial fuel cells and complete application for powering wireless sensors
Grégory Bataillou, Oliviel Ondel, Naoufel Haddour. Journal of Power Sources, Feb 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.233965. Accessed 21 Oct 2026. - peer reviewed paper
Development of a self-powered soil sensor using soil microbial fuel cells for power autonomous sensors for smart agriculture
Moungsung Kim, Rodrigo Fernández-Feito, Junsang Park et al.. Journal of Power Sources, Feb 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.239198. Accessed 21 Oct 2026.
Revision history
3 changes since this profile was created.