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OSU's Microbial Fuel Cell Could Make Waste Treatment an Energy Source
An anonymous reader writes "A team of engineers from Oregon State University has developed a breakthrough microbial fuel cell that is capable of generating 10 to 50 times more electricity from waste than other MFCs. The team hopes that their innovation will enable waste treatment plants to not only power themselves, but also sell excess electricity back to the grid. 'If this technology works on a commercial-scale the way we believe it will, the treatment of wastewater could be a huge energy producer, not a huge energy cost,' said associate professor Hong Liu. 'This could have an impact around the world, save a great deal of money, provide better water treatment and promote energy sustainability.'"
This would greatly help out the enviornment worldwide by making waste treatment profitable, while also removing the tax burden. Here in Nassau County, N.Y., the waste treatment plants have been mis-managed for seemingly forever. The plants break down regularly causing untreated waste to be released into the already fragile eco-system. The once thriving clamming industry has been reduced to.near non-existant here on Long Island. The blame lies squarely on the untreated sewage released into the bays.