Iranian Journal of

Background and Objective: Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a new green technology that uses the catabolic ability of microorganisms to produce bioenergy while simultaneously removing organic matter and other wastewater contaminants. Electrode material is one of the factors affecting the performance of microbial fuel cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of microbial fuel cells in COD removal and bioenergy production from synthetic and real beverage wastewater.
Materials and Methods: In this research, a two-chamber microbial fuel cell with Nafion membrane and aerated  cathode was set up using two electrodes made of carbon felt and flat graphite after being contacted by synthetic wastewater with a concentration of COD 5000  mg/L and real beverage wastewater. Organic matter removal efficiency and voltage, power density and maximum current were determine.
Results: Experimental results showed that maximum COD removal efficiency of 92 % was achieved in synthetic wastewater and with a carbon felts electrode. In this condition, maximum voltage, power density and output current density of 469 mV, 175.28 mW/m², and 855 mA/m², were obtained, respectively. However, by using real industrial wastewater (beverage), maximum removal efficiency of COD, voltage, power density and output current density, related to carbon felt electrodes ‎were obtaines as 84 %, ‎460 mV, 91/65 mW/m², and 635 mA/m², respectively.
Conclusion: The findings showed that synthetic wastewater outperforms microbial fuel cells in terms of bioelectric production and organic matter removal as compared to real wastewater (beverage). The reason for the decrease in the cell performance might be the presence of solids and other confounding pollutants in real wastewater.

Background and Objective: The present research has been performed to investigate the opportunities and challenges facing the Iran’s renewable energies development to reduce climate change and improve health and represent managerial solutions in power generation sector by SWOT-AHP analysis models.
Materials and Methods: Using literature reviews and survey, the SWOT was applied to identify internal factors includeding strengths (S), and weaknesses (W), and external factors includeding opportunities (O), and threats (T). The strategies were drived to develop renewable energy in Iran. The proposal strategies were ranked by using the SWOT matrix and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model.
Results: According to the SWOT matrix calculations, total scores of internal and external factors were found as  4.1 and 4.4 of 5, respectively, which show high potentials of internal factors and opportunities. The most importannt factor of strengths (S) was found to be the great potentials of solar energy sources in Iran. The main priority of opportunities (O) is supportive laws to encourage the private sector. The most important weakness (W) was lack of comprehensive knowledge of managers and politicians about the benefits of renewable energy. The main threats (T) were low tendency of private invests, unpredictable inflation in Iran, and low prices for fossil fuels.
Conclusion: The results of this research represent in four categories of SO, ST, WT, WO strategies. The important SO strategy is increasing guaranteed electricity purchase tariffs (GEPTs), and creating the renewable energy market. The most important strategies of ST were establishment of the renewable energy fund and assessment of exporting electricity by the private sector. The most dominant strategy of WT was modifying guaranteed electricity purchase contracts. The strategies of WO were found to be as following; convincing government agencies to provide the necessary infrastructure and support for knowledge-based companies.