Utilization of Banana Peel Waste as a Sustainable Substrate in Microbial Fuel Cell Systems for Renewable Energy Development

Abstract

Most power plants in Indonesia (66%) still rely on fossil fuels, which have adverse environmental impacts. Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) offer a promising alternative as a clean energy source. This study investigates a dual-chamber ceramic membrane MFC that utilizes rice paddy sludge as a microbial inoculum and banana peel waste as the organic substrate. The objective is to determine the system’s optimal performance in terms of power density under seven substrate concentration variations (0–3971 ppm) and different incubation durations. The MFC system comprises 21 chambers with three replicates for each concentration. Voltage and current were measured periodically. The results show that power density increases with substrate concentration, indicating that higher substrate levels provide more nutrients for electroactive microorganisms to grow and transfer electrons efficiently to the anode. The maximum power density of 910 mW/m² was achieved on the 7th day at the highest substrate concentration (3971 ppm). These findings demonstrate that both substrate concentration and incubation duration significantly influence MFC efficiency and highlight the potential of banana peel waste as an effective bio-substrate for enhancing MFC performance and supporting sustainable energy development.