Periodic Reporting for period 2 - GREEN (Generating Energy from Electroactive Algae)
Reporting period: 2022-07-01 to 2023-12-31
There is a current need for generating energy that does not produce greenhouse gas emissions and decreases air pollution. To address this problem, we seek to develop radical new ways to generate ecologically safe energy from algae. This project plans to introduce a self-sustainable bioenergy generator bringing the EU one step closer to its green goals.
Global concern about climate change has been growing in recent years, with a considerable amount of research dedicated to better, more ecologically safe energy generation. Bioenergy, which involves deriving energy from biological sources, is one of the energy resources available, and it has steadily been gaining more attention. The use of algae metabolic energy released upon cell-cell signalling offers the potential to create self-sustainable energy, free from the constraints of intermittency of existing renewable energy sources and could deliver access to abundant and affordable clean energy to society.
The overall aim of this grant is to establish a world leading research centre focusing on developing a radically different way to generate clean energy from algae by breaking the power scalability barrier for bioenergy generators and in this way delivering impact on the world’s renewable energy research trajectory. To deliver the new bioenergy generator, it is essential to understand 1) which materials and 3D electrode geometries comprise larger cell densities and enable a more efficient charge transfer from the living organisms to the harvesting electrode 2) which organisms provide the higher output powers, and 3) how the electric circuitry will be developed to store and deliver the generated power.
This multidisciplinary research will advance the state-of-the-art by delivering a prototype for a new green self-sustained energy harvester, suitable for power scalability, through realising technological advances in 1) electrochemical electrodes, 2) cooperative signalling mechanisms in algae and 3) energy harvesting circuits.
Global concern about climate change has been growing in recent years, with a considerable amount of research dedicated to better, more ecologically safe energy generation. Bioenergy, which involves deriving energy from biological sources, is one of the energy resources available, and it has steadily been gaining more attention. The use of algae metabolic energy released upon cell-cell signalling offers the potential to create self-sustainable energy, free from the constraints of intermittency of existing renewable energy sources and could deliver access to abundant and affordable clean energy to society.
The overall aim of this grant is to establish a world leading research centre focusing on developing a radically different way to generate clean energy from algae by breaking the power scalability barrier for bioenergy generators and in this way delivering impact on the world’s renewable energy research trajectory. To deliver the new bioenergy generator, it is essential to understand 1) which materials and 3D electrode geometries comprise larger cell densities and enable a more efficient charge transfer from the living organisms to the harvesting electrode 2) which organisms provide the higher output powers, and 3) how the electric circuitry will be developed to store and deliver the generated power.
This multidisciplinary research will advance the state-of-the-art by delivering a prototype for a new green self-sustained energy harvester, suitable for power scalability, through realising technological advances in 1) electrochemical electrodes, 2) cooperative signalling mechanisms in algae and 3) energy harvesting circuits.
Significant technological advances in 3D electrochemical electrodes, microalgae cultivation and growth monitoring systems and in cooperative signalling mechanisms in microorganisms have been achieved. In concordance to the project objectives written in the Description of Action, we have been able to:
1) Devise a new electrochemically stable and biocompatible 3D porous electrode capable of comprising large cell densities. Here, several commercially available sponges have been bought and characterized for porosity, mechanical and electrical properties, electrochemical stability, and hydrophilic properties. A new infrastructure and methodology to fabricate and characterize conducting 3D sponges has been devised. Protocols for (1) cleaning, (2) coating, (3) annealing, (4) electrical and mechanical characterization have been investigated and optimized. In addition, viability, adhesion and electrical signalling of thirteen different microorganisms to the developed 3D sponges, have been investigated with electrical and optical measurements.
2) Determine which microorganisms, provide the higher output magnitudes. Here, the infrastructure to culture and grow microalgae strains has been installed, calibrated and is now fully operational. We successfully manage to select, purchase and maintain different microalgae strains and bacteria. We have determined the required water, carbon dioxide, minerals and light, for long-term cultivation of our strains. Also, all different strains have been analysed for viability on the developed conductive sponges. The electrogenicity of strains is ongoing and preliminary evidences, using ion channel inhibitors and fluorescence microscopy, ascertain the role of Ca2+ in community reactions to environmental stress, particularly the absence of light. A comprehensive database with the electrical signatures, including noise spectra, magnitude and frequency of spikes occurrence, of microalgae and bacteria populations, under different growth stages, light, temperature and nutrient conditions is ongoing. A model on the origin of bioelectricity in microalgae has been published in a high impact publication (Amaral et al 2023).
Finally, we have also started to address the specific output power of selected microorganisms and performing circuit/component optimization in existing energy harvesting circuits, including the LTC310, ADP5091 and the LTC3588, as described in the already published high impact publication (Amiri et al 2023).
New research directions have also been planned in concordance with the Description of Action. New research projects have been submitted to:
• Human Frontier Science Program
• Doctoral Networks proposal submitted under HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN-01-01
• NATO’s Science and Security Programme
We have also been able to organize the first international GREEN workshop in Coimbra, and to present our work in multiple national and international conferences and workshops, as described in the Description of Action.
1) Devise a new electrochemically stable and biocompatible 3D porous electrode capable of comprising large cell densities. Here, several commercially available sponges have been bought and characterized for porosity, mechanical and electrical properties, electrochemical stability, and hydrophilic properties. A new infrastructure and methodology to fabricate and characterize conducting 3D sponges has been devised. Protocols for (1) cleaning, (2) coating, (3) annealing, (4) electrical and mechanical characterization have been investigated and optimized. In addition, viability, adhesion and electrical signalling of thirteen different microorganisms to the developed 3D sponges, have been investigated with electrical and optical measurements.
2) Determine which microorganisms, provide the higher output magnitudes. Here, the infrastructure to culture and grow microalgae strains has been installed, calibrated and is now fully operational. We successfully manage to select, purchase and maintain different microalgae strains and bacteria. We have determined the required water, carbon dioxide, minerals and light, for long-term cultivation of our strains. Also, all different strains have been analysed for viability on the developed conductive sponges. The electrogenicity of strains is ongoing and preliminary evidences, using ion channel inhibitors and fluorescence microscopy, ascertain the role of Ca2+ in community reactions to environmental stress, particularly the absence of light. A comprehensive database with the electrical signatures, including noise spectra, magnitude and frequency of spikes occurrence, of microalgae and bacteria populations, under different growth stages, light, temperature and nutrient conditions is ongoing. A model on the origin of bioelectricity in microalgae has been published in a high impact publication (Amaral et al 2023).
Finally, we have also started to address the specific output power of selected microorganisms and performing circuit/component optimization in existing energy harvesting circuits, including the LTC310, ADP5091 and the LTC3588, as described in the already published high impact publication (Amiri et al 2023).
New research directions have also been planned in concordance with the Description of Action. New research projects have been submitted to:
• Human Frontier Science Program
• Doctoral Networks proposal submitted under HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN-01-01
• NATO’s Science and Security Programme
We have also been able to organize the first international GREEN workshop in Coimbra, and to present our work in multiple national and international conferences and workshops, as described in the Description of Action.
We made progress beyond the state-of-the-art as originally written in the GREEN proposal. Progress can be divided into the main four advances:
•An ultra-low noise and electrochemically stable 3D porous electrodes for intercellular sensing applications.
•A piezoresistive sensor based on highly-porous polyurethane coated with the conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS.
•A new electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) based-tool to quantify the electronic coupling of cells to the electrode and to extract real-time growth dynamics.
•A new fluorinated ethylene propylene microcapillary device for rapid, precise and low-cost microalgae growth assessment.
The expected results remains the same as described in the Description of Action and will comprise a comprehensive database with the electrical signatures of defined and mixed microalgae populations, under different growth stages, light, temperature and nutrient conditions. We continue to plan for a novel in-situ monitoring system of microalgae communication and productivity and for the demonstration of a harvester circuit to condition/store microorganisms cohort signals. A self-sustainable bioenergy generator remains expected and quantification for overall output power will take place in later stages of this project, followed by a detail plan of costs, power generation and geographical locations where the new energy system can be installed and operate. In addition, we plan to continue publishing in high impact publications and in submitting new research proposals as described in the Action. Finally, based on our already acquired data, we intend to generate a new IP on a novel growth analysis system contributing to objective two - since this is a methodology that delivers a real-time, onsite monitoring of algal productivity and biomass.
High impact publications already published:
•The role of bioelectricity in microalgae-aided systems: Raquel Amaral et al, Ion-driven communication and acclimation strategies in microalgae, Chemical Engineering Journal, 144985, 1385-8947 (2023) – IF:16.7
•Energy harvesting circuits and methodologies: Morteza H. Amiri et al, Piezoelectric energy harvesters: A critical assessment and a standardized reporting of power-producing vibrational harvesters, Nano Energy,106, 108073 (2023) – IF:19.1
Other publications published:
•Advances in equivalent circuit modelling of adherent cells to large planar electrodes: Aya Elghajiji et al, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy as a Tool for Monitoring Cell Differentiation from Floor Plate Progenitors to Midbrain Neurons in Real Time. Advanced Biology 5, 2100330 (2021). – IF:4.1
•Mathematical modelling of growth in microorganisms: (1) Lode K.J. Vandamme et al. Similarities between pandemics and cancer in growth and risk models. Scientific Reports 11, 349 (2021) – IF:5 || (2) Lode K.J. Vandamme and Paulo R.F. Rocha, Analysis and Simulation of Epidemic COVID-19 Curves with the Verhulst Model Applied to Statistical Inhomogeneous Age Groups. Applied Sciences, 11, 4159 (2021) – IF:2.7
•An ultra-low noise and electrochemically stable 3D porous electrodes for intercellular sensing applications.
•A piezoresistive sensor based on highly-porous polyurethane coated with the conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS.
•A new electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) based-tool to quantify the electronic coupling of cells to the electrode and to extract real-time growth dynamics.
•A new fluorinated ethylene propylene microcapillary device for rapid, precise and low-cost microalgae growth assessment.
The expected results remains the same as described in the Description of Action and will comprise a comprehensive database with the electrical signatures of defined and mixed microalgae populations, under different growth stages, light, temperature and nutrient conditions. We continue to plan for a novel in-situ monitoring system of microalgae communication and productivity and for the demonstration of a harvester circuit to condition/store microorganisms cohort signals. A self-sustainable bioenergy generator remains expected and quantification for overall output power will take place in later stages of this project, followed by a detail plan of costs, power generation and geographical locations where the new energy system can be installed and operate. In addition, we plan to continue publishing in high impact publications and in submitting new research proposals as described in the Action. Finally, based on our already acquired data, we intend to generate a new IP on a novel growth analysis system contributing to objective two - since this is a methodology that delivers a real-time, onsite monitoring of algal productivity and biomass.
High impact publications already published:
•The role of bioelectricity in microalgae-aided systems: Raquel Amaral et al, Ion-driven communication and acclimation strategies in microalgae, Chemical Engineering Journal, 144985, 1385-8947 (2023) – IF:16.7
•Energy harvesting circuits and methodologies: Morteza H. Amiri et al, Piezoelectric energy harvesters: A critical assessment and a standardized reporting of power-producing vibrational harvesters, Nano Energy,106, 108073 (2023) – IF:19.1
Other publications published:
•Advances in equivalent circuit modelling of adherent cells to large planar electrodes: Aya Elghajiji et al, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy as a Tool for Monitoring Cell Differentiation from Floor Plate Progenitors to Midbrain Neurons in Real Time. Advanced Biology 5, 2100330 (2021). – IF:4.1
•Mathematical modelling of growth in microorganisms: (1) Lode K.J. Vandamme et al. Similarities between pandemics and cancer in growth and risk models. Scientific Reports 11, 349 (2021) – IF:5 || (2) Lode K.J. Vandamme and Paulo R.F. Rocha, Analysis and Simulation of Epidemic COVID-19 Curves with the Verhulst Model Applied to Statistical Inhomogeneous Age Groups. Applied Sciences, 11, 4159 (2021) – IF:2.7