Harnessing microbial fuel cells for mitigating metal corrosion in offshore wind power infrastructure: Mechanisms, applications, and future prospects

Abstract

Offshore wind power infrastructure is critical for renewable energy generation but is prone to metal corrosion due to the severe sea climate. Traditional corrosion reduction techniques like coatings and inhibitors have limited effectiveness and environmental impact. Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) provide a promising alternative by utilizing electroactive microorganisms to generate bioelectricity while affecting corrosion processes. This paper examines how MFCs can reduce metal corrosion in offshore wind power infrastructure, emphasizing microbial interactions with metal surfaces and electrochemical processes. MFCs have essential applications in corrosion control, including integration with existing anti-corrosion technology and the possibility of low-maintenance operation in offshore environments. The paper additionally looks at the scalability of MFCs for large-scale applications, the limitations of microbial growth and stability in marine conditions, and prospects for MFC corrosion mitigation.