Jakub Dziegielowski, founder and CEO of Bactery, believes the future of farm energy lies beneath our feet. His company has developed a soil-powered microbial fuel cell that captures electrons released by soil bacteria as they metabolize organic compounds. The result? A self-recharging energy source that can power agricultural IoT sensors without wiring, sunlight, or battery swaps.
The device, measuring just six by six inches, is designed for simplicity: dig a hole, bury the unit, and let nature do the rest. Within days, a biofilm forms inside the reactor, and energy generation begins, continuing for decades with minimal intervention.
From Brazil to Bath: The origins of soil power
The concept was born during Dziegielowski’s chemical engineering PhD at the University of Bath, inspired by proof-of-concept field trials he carried out in Brazil in 2019. “We built a soil-powered water purification system for remote communities that lacked access to safe drinking water,” he recalls. “Seeing how reliably the soil could generate energy sparked the idea that this could become something much bigger.”
How it works: Microbes as power plants
Certain soil bacteria possess unique metabolic pathways that release electrons during organic matter breakdown. Bactery’s fuel-cell-like architecture channels these electrons through an external circuit, converting chemical energy into electricity. Thanks to its internal reactor design, the system works across diverse soil types, leveraging electroactive proteobacteria found worldwide.
Performance and potential
The company’s Generation-1 device produces 50-100 mWh per day. “That’s more than enough to power Agri-IoT devices such as soil moisture sensors, weather stations, and even small irrigation valves,” says Dziegielowski.
Over a year, that’s equivalent to the energy stored in about 10 standard AA batteries. In the lab, Bactery has already developed a version six times more powerful, reveals Dziegielowski, capable of driving lights, irrigation valves, and even water purification systems.
With an anticipated 30-year lifespan, the device offers a compelling alternative to disposable batteries and solar panels, generating energy 24/7 without reliance on weather or light.
Field trials and lessons learned
Bactery has deployed around 50 units across farms in England and Wales, with pilots planned in the US, Brazil, Australia, and the UAE. Trials have driven improvements in reactor design and revealed unexpected insights: voltage dynamics can reflect soil properties, opening a new pathway for soil diagnostics.
Not all challenges were technical. Wildlife interference and even potatoes pushing devices out of the ground forced design tweaks to improve durability and burial depth. “Potatoes are surprisingly powerful,” the founder notes.
Beyond agriculture: A bigger vision
While the initial focus is powering agri-IoT devices, Dziegielowski sees broader potential. “Our long-term vision is to redefine what soil is – not just something that grows crops, but a clean, renewable power source,” he says. Scaled globally, soil-powered systems could eliminate billions of disposable batteries, support net-zero goals, and bring reliable energy to remote communities.
What’s next?
Bactery was among the early-stage start-ups showcasing their solutions at REAP 2025, the annual conference of Agri-TechE, the not-for-profit connecting farmers, researchers, technologists, and entrepreneurs to stimulate innovation in agriculture.
Bactery plans to launch its Gen-1 device commercially next year, targeting OEMs and IoT distributors. Partnerships with agtech firms, energy providers, and government bodies are in the works, as the company positions soil-powered energy as a new clean-power platform.
If Bactery succeeds, the humble soil beneath our feet could become a silent powerhouse – fuelling the next generation of connected agriculture and beyond. “Agriculture is just the beginning,” Dziegielowski says. “The larger vision is a world where remote devices, communities and infrastructure can draw power directly from the ground beneath them.”
