Lignocellulose-Powered Bioelectrochemical Systems: Advancing Sustainable Biomass Valorization

Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant renewable carbon resource on Earth. Its integration into microbial electrochemical technologies offers promising opportunities for the sustainable production of electricity, hydrogen and value-added biochemicals within a circular bioeconomy framework.

In this review, Molla et al. provide a comprehensive overview of lignocellulose-powered bioelectrochemical systems. The authors examine the biological and technological strategies required to couple lignocellulose depolymerization with extracellular electron transfer, a critical step for converting complex biomass into energy and valuable products.

Particular attention is given to electroactive microorganisms, microbial consortia and engineered communities capable of enhancing biomass conversion efficiency. The review also discusses the influence of pretreatment methods, electrode materials, reactor configurations and operational parameters on system performance.

Beyond a traditional literature review, the article includes quantitative analyses and performance benchmarks derived from recent studies, helping identify the major scientific and technological bottlenecks that currently limit large-scale implementation.

This work provides a valuable reference for researchers working at the interface of environmental microbiology, bioelectrochemistry, process engineering and biomass valorization.

Reference:
Molla A.A., Bernet N., Bouchez T., Abdellaoui S. & Besaury L.  Review of Environmental Science and Biotechnology, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-026-09784-4

Contact: Ludovic Besaury (ludovic.besaury@univ-reims.fr) Sofiene Abdellaoui (sofiene.abdellaoui@univ-reims.fr)