Microbial Electrolysis Cell

A microbial electrolysis cell, or MEC, is a technology related to the microbial fuel cell. While a microbial fuel cell produces an electric current from the microbial decomposition of organic compounds, a microbial electrolysis cell partially reverses that process, using an applied electric current to generate hydrogen or methane from organic material, ideally with the electric current itself supplied from a renewable source of power. The hydrogen or methane a microbial electrolysis cell produces can then be used to generate electricity by means of an additional proton exchange membrane fuel cell or an internal combustion engine.