This document describes a new technology called Plant-e that can generate electricity from living plants. It was developed by a Dutch company and university and works by using microorganisms that naturally live in soil to break down organic matter excreted by plant roots, releasing electrons that can be harvested as electricity. A pilot project has installed the technology on a green roof and aims to optimize electricity production. While the output is currently lower than wind and solar, it has environmental advantages as it can generate power anywhere plants grow without harming them or habitats.

1. ELECTRICITY FROM PLANTSELECTRICITY FROM PLANTS
A NEW SOURCE OF FUTURISTICA NEW SOURCE OF FUTURISTIC
SUSTAINABLE ENERGYSUSTAINABLE ENERGY

2.  OXYGENOXYGEN
 FOODFOOD
 FUELFUEL
 FLOWERSFLOWERS
 WOODWOOD
 MEDICINESMEDICINES
 AESTHETICAESTHETIC
AND SO ON.....AND SO ON.....
PLANTSPLANTS

4. PLANTS CAN ALSO GENERATEPLANTS CAN ALSO GENERATE
ELECTRICITYELECTRICITY

5.  DEVELOPED BY A COMPANY CALLED PLANT- e.DEVELOPED BY A COMPANY CALLED PLANT- e.
 DEVELOPED AT WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY, NETHERLANDS
 PATENTED IN 2007
 TECHNOLOGY ENABLES TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY FROM
LIVING PLANTS AT PRACTICALLY EVERY SITE WHERE PLANTS
CAN GROW
 THE TECHNOLOGY IS BASED ON NATURAL PROCESSES AND
 DOESN’T HARM THE PLANT OR ITS ENVIRONMENT
THE TECHNOLOGYTHE TECHNOLOGY

6. PRINCIPLEPRINCIPLE
MICROBIAL FUEL CELL (OR GREEN ELECTRICITY)
PHOTOSYENTHESIS
+
ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVE MICROORGANISMS

8.  ORGANIC MATTERS PRODUCED BY
PLANTS DURING PHOTO- SYENTHESIS.
 PART OF THIS ORGANIC MATTER IS USED
FOR PLANT-GROWTH.
 A LARGE PART CAN’T BE USED BY THE
PLANT AND IS EXCRETED INTO THE SOIL
VIA THE ROOTS.
 AROUND THE ROOTS NATURALLY
OCCURING MICRO-ORGANISMS BREAK
DOWN THE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS TO
GAIN ENERGY.
 IN THIS PROCESS, ELECTRONS ARE
RELEASED AS A WASTE PRODUCT.
 BY PROVIDING AN ELECTRODE FOR THE
MICRO-ORGANISMS TO DONATE THEIR
ELECTRONS TO, THE ELECTRONS CAN BE
HARVESTED AS ELECTRICITY.
PRINCIPLEPRINCIPLE

9. A) PHOTOSYNTHESIS
6CO2+6H2O = C6H12O6+6O2
B) TRANSPORT OF ORGANIC MATTER TO
THE ANODE COMPARTMENT.
(C) ANODIC OXIDATION OF ORGANIC
MATTER BY ELECTROCHEMICALLY
ACTIVE BACTERIA
C6H12O6+12H2O = 6HCO3+30H++24E
(D) CATHODIC REDUCTION
OF OXYGEN TO WATER
6O2+24H++24E = 12H2O

10. PILOT PLANTPILOT PLANT
 PLANT-E IS STILL IN THE PRODUCT-DEVELOPMENT STAGE.
 HOWEVER, A FIRST LARGE-SCALE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT IS IN
OPERATION AT THE CRADLE-2-CRADLE BUILDING OF NIOO:
 FOR A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT OF THE “GREEN ELECTRICITY ROOF”.

11. PILOT PLANTPILOT PLANT

12. GREEN ROOFSGREEN ROOFS
ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING PMFC
APPLICATIONS IS A GREEN ROOF BECAUSE IT
CAN COMBINE THE ADVANTAGES OF THESE
ROOFS WITH ELECTRICITY GENERATION.
OTHER ADVANTAGES:
STORM-WATER RUNOFF RETENTION
HIGH AESTHETIC VALUE
INCREASED BIODIVERSITY
IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR QUALITY
BUILDING INSULATION AND
DECREASE IN TEMPERATUREWITHIN CITIES

13. ELECTRICITY GENERATION POTENTIALELECTRICITY GENERATION POTENTIAL
ELECTRICITY GENERATION POTENTIAL DEPENDS UPON:-
- TYPE OF PLANTS / CROP
- TYPE OF MICROORGANISM
- SEDIMENTS /SOIL
- WEATHER CONDITION

15. ELECTRICITY GENERATION POTENTIALELECTRICITY GENERATION POTENTIAL
 EUROPEAN RESEARCH CONSORTIUM IS WORKING ON OPTIMAL
ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION OF 3.2W/M2 (CURRENT 50mW/M2). ON A
FLAT ROOF OF 50 M2 , 150W COULD BE CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCED.
 ASSUMING AN AVERAGE ELECTRICITY NEED OF 500W, A GREEN
ROOF COULD PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF A
HOUSEHOLD’S ELECTRICITY NEED.
 ENERGY USE BY THE HOUSEHOLD WILL DECREASE FURTHER DUE
TO THE INSULATION CAPACITY OF THE GREEN ROOF.
 SO ACTUAL ENERGY SAVING IS MORE THAN ONE/THIRD.
 AT AN ELECTRICITY PRICE OF RS. 4.00/KWH, A 50-M2 ELECTRICITY
PRODUCING GREEN ROOF COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE A
HOUSEHOLD RS 5250 PER YEAR APPROX.

16. COMPARISIONS WITH OTHER ENERGIESCOMPARISIONS WITH OTHER ENERGIES
 THIS CAN BE INTEGRATED WITH THE LANDSCAPES, FOREST AND FARMS.
 THE POWER GENERATION IS LESS (APPROX. 1.6 MW/KM2) AS COMPARED TO
WIND (5-7.7 MW/KM2) AND SOLAR (4.5-7.5 MW/KM2), HOWEVER IT IS
CHEAPER AS COMPARED TO THE BOTH OF THEM.
 THE POWER OUTPUT OF WIND FARMS AND SOLAR FARMS WILL BE THREE-
TO FIVEFOLD HIGHER THAN THAT OF PMFCS.
 HOWEVER, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF BOTH WIND TURBINES
(AVIAN MORTALITY, VISUAL IMPACT, NOISE, ELECTROMAGNETIC
INTERFERENCE) AND SOLAR PANELS (VISUAL IMPACT, LOSS OF GREEN
SPACE AND BIODIVERSITY, INCREASING DARK SURFACE, USE OF
POLLUTING METALS) IS LARGE AND IS A SOURCE OF SOCIETAL DEBATE
 PMFCS COULD OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION
WHILE SUSTAINING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
 COULD PROVIDE 24 H/DAY ELECTRICITY GENERATION WITHOUT THE USE
OF SCARCE MATERIALS AND WITH NUTRIENT PRESERVATION.

17. SOCIAL ADVANTAGESSOCIAL ADVANTAGES
 PLANT-MFCS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN (SEMI-)NATURAL
ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS RECREATION AREAS, RICE-FIELDS,
SALINE SOILS, ENERGY ISLANDS, SELECTED WETLANDS,
BIOREFINERIES ETC.
 A MINIMAL DISTURBANCE OF THE SCENERY & PRIMARY
FUNCTIONS AND SO WITHOUT BEING COMPETITIVE WITH
AGRICULTURAL LANDS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR FOOD AND
WITHOUT DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT.
 THE WORK OF WITH RICE PLANTS DID NOT SHOW SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCE OF RICE PRODUCTION WITH OR WITHOUT MFC
INTEGRATION.

18. USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN NTPCUSE OF TECHNOLOGY IN NTPC
 ELECTRICITY GENERATION POTENTIAL AT ASH DYKES
 LAWNS / LANDSCAPE/ PARKS IN TOWNSHIP / PLANT.
 STREET LIGHT / TOWNSHIP LIGHTING.

19. SUMMARYSUMMARY

20. REFERENCESREFERENCES
www.nieuwbouwnioo.nl
www.plant-e.com
www.google.com
Encyclopedia Britannica