Well, well, well...that is a somewhat unexpected source of cheap electricity (that electricity can be made from sludge isn't new, but that it really seems worth the while in wastewater is).

I'm all for adopting this technology ASAP. Wastewater is, after all, a pretty constant source and not one that is subject to the swings of some other alternative means of energy production.

Some processing plants as well as municipal wastewater processing should be all over this for wastewater treatment.

What is interesting is that after the sludge is used for electricity generation from the microbes the sludge will be even more effective as a soil fertilizer.

this article does everything it can to talk about the technology without explaining it.


Its probably not pending for patent yet and they dont want to give out secrets before starting a business. thats what i would do anyway.

If the electricity is cheaper, then go for it.

What about radioactive waste?

What about radioactive waste?

What about it? Radioactivity is a physics effect - not a chemistry effect. Bacteria can't affect the half life of radioactive material.

What bacteria can do is e.g. show an ability to concentrate certain atom types (much like your liver tends to concentrate toxic stuff like mercury). This doesn't render the radioactive material any less radioactive, but it may allow it to be more easily extracted afterwards.

There are bacteria that do live off of radioactivity created by radioactive material
http://www.washin...671.html
But that doesn't mean they 'eat' radioactivity - rather they use this source of radiation and not the source of radioactivity most other plants use (the sun).

that in conjunction with solar panels on the roof - generates enough power run the complex.

Not sure the wastewater of one appartment would render THAT much electricity. 5 cents per use is most certainly a pretty bad deal for you.
(and also pretty sure that the roof area of a block of flats won't generate enough electricity with PV to make a big dent in your electricity bill - much less power the complex in a stand-alone fashion. Unless you already have built zero-energy-appartments )

..and you'll have to pay the sewer fee anyhow since the stuff doesn't go away. Occasionally you'll have to flush the remainder - including the bacteria that lived and died.

For such local use these microreactors are probably not worth the investment (yet)


There are bacteria that do live off of radioactivity created by radioactive material


i wonder if ATP fails it can cause radioactive particles?

Someone downvoted my question because I was ignorant about the nature of radioactivity! However will I learn about the actual nature of radioactivity now?

This comment has been removed by a moderator.