Photo Microbial Fuel Cell (PMFC)

Artistic research project                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ← Back to Artist Work                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          





Photo Microbial Fuel Cell (PMFC) is an ongoing artistic research project exploring photosynthesis as a living source of electrical energy. The project originated from an individual residency by Magdalena Hart in 2020, during which the initial investigation into photo-microbial fuel cells was developed, focusing on the possibility of generating electricity from plant–microorganism interactions.

During this first phase, the research remained at an exploratory level, unable to produce enough voltage to power an external device. When I joined the project, the focus shifted toward understanding how extremely low electrical outputs from living systems could be amplified without relying on external energy sources.

Through an intensive period of self-directed study in basic electricity, physics, and chemistry, I introduced a low-energy amplification circuit known as a Joule thief, allowing the system to increase voltage sufficiently to power a red LED using electricity generated exclusively by the plants. This marked a turning point in the project, transforming the research from a speculative investigation into a functioning living electrical system.

PMFC captures electrons released during photosynthesis and microbial activity in the rhizosphere, converting light energy into electrical current. Rather than treating plants as passive generators, the project approaches electricity as a relational process emerging from the interaction between plants, microorganisms, soil, and light.

Following this development, PMFC expanded into a collective learning process. The research was shared through a one-month residency and workshop format at Contorno Urbano, where participants collectively explored the construction of photo-microbial fuel cells, low-energy circuits, and the implications of working with living electrical systems.

PMFC exists as a hybrid between research, pedagogy, and artistic practice, proposing an alternative understanding of energy production grounded in care, attention, and coexistence with living systems.


         


Credits

Initiated by: Magdalena Hart

Research & Development:, Magdalena Hart, Natalia Gima

Low-energy Circuit Development (Joule thief): Natalia Gima

Workshop & Residency: Contorno Urbano

Year: 2020–2021