Turning coffee waste into electricity

By Phoenix Cronin

Scientists have found a way to transform coffee waste into electricity. Credit: Keesler Air Force Base

For the first time, scientists have found a way to transform coffee waste into electricity. Dr Claudio Avignone Rossa and his team at the University of Surrey discovered microbes in wastewater that are also found in the wastewater of Columbian coffee farms.

Using a microbial fuel cell, these microbes can be engineered to produce electricity.

Dr Rossa predicts “that a (field ready) prototype could be designed and constructed in a year or so.” Enabling Columbian coffee farms to double up as powerhouses as well.

Although the electricity produced is small, it is a progressive first step towards renewable energy in the industry.

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