The company, founded in 2015, has developed an innovative microbial fuel cell solution with said triple output. Their innovative plug-and-play on-site device treats wastewater and reduces stress on the grid while providing a de-centralized electricity supply in urban and rural settings. For these reasons, EL MAT was chosen as a finalist of the ISC3 Innovation Challenge 2022, as well as the ISC3 Start-up of the Month for February 2023.

So how does the process work? The heart of EL MAT process is a microbial fuel cell (MFC). This MFC converts the organic matter of the untreated wastewater into electricity using bacteria. The bacteria consume the organic matter and produce electrons as a byproduct, which can be captured and used to generate power. Three questions for EL MAT Sustainable Solutions founder Benny Molala.

What led to your solution in Sustainable Chemistry?

Benny Molala: My decision to establish EL MAT derives from the insight I gained from my honor’s degree research related to Metallurgical Engineering at a mining company. I realized that there was no proper solution for wastewater treatment plants’ and mining companies’ drainage water and found that the acid mining drainage had a foul smell. First, we wanted to eliminate this odor to improve everyone’s health and safety. While I was doing my research, it dawned on me that we could use bacteria for some form of energy.

What does being chosen as ISC3 Start-up of the Month mean to you and your research?

B. Molala: Above all, the recognition we received adds to the motivation and confirms us being on the right track. Basically, as an ISC3-supported start-Up, it is a great advantage to have access to a worldwide network of supporters and experts. This makes an important contribution to helping us achieve our goals.

What’s next for EL MAT Sustainable Solutions?

B. Molala: After proving the performance on a lab scale, we are now looking to scale up our process. With two Memorandums of Agreement ongoing with wastewater treatment plants in South Africa, I want to prove that the process works in a real-life wastewater treatment plant situation. The long-term goal is to expand our activities into diverse other fields of application and more geographical locations.

The whole success story of the ISC3 Start-up of the Month for February 2023 is told by ISC3 on their website.