Ludovic Jourdin Group

Welcome to the Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology group homepage.

Power-to-Chemicals and Power-to-Fuels processes are the future of the chemical industry!

The chemical industry is a major greenhouse gas emitter. To meet their GHG emission reduction target, the chemical industry must use alternative carbon sources (CO2 and biomass) and electricity-based processes (Power-to-X). The perspective of a highly electrified chemical industry where renewable feedstocks and energy are the basic ingredients of chemicals is very appealing to many societal, industrial and governmental stakeholders.

Have you ever imagined that microorganisms were able to utilize renewable electricity to convert C-waste such as CO2 to valuable chemicals? They sure can!
This Power-to-X process is called microbial electrosynthesis, and is the major focus of our research. Microorganisms are able to produce more complex and higher value chemicals than heterogeneous catalysts. Products with a wide array of applications ranging from chemicals, fuels, feed, and food ingredients can be targeted.

In our group, we have a multiscale approach, investigating phenomena from nanometer to meter scales, and from fundamental to applied perspectives. Microbial electrosynthesis is a wonder scientifically and technologically. Many, yet uncharacterised and interdependent phenomena occur at the interface between microbiology, material science, (electro)chemistry, and engineering. Overall, the aim of the group is to identify, study, and overcome limitations across physical and time-scales towards scaling-up the technology. Integration to upstream and downstream processes is also investigated. Both experimental and modelling approaches are used.  

Please refer to the drop down menu on the left to see who composes the group and read about our ongoing research projects and check out our publications.

Have a look at this interview I gave beginning of 2020 about our research: https://www.tudelft.nl/en/e-refinery/research/stories/breeding-bacteria-to-build-chemical-compounds-with-electricity/ 

Microbial electrosynthesis and e-biorefinery processes are one of the main pillars of the TUD e-Refinery institute, please check it out: https://www.tudelft.nl/e-refinery

Also, check out this short (1m40s) promotional video about some of the activities in our group, featuring our amazing PhD student Oriol:

About myself

After graduating as chemical engineer from the University of Montpellier (France), I obtained my PhD in environmental biotechnology in 2015 from the University of Queensland (Australia), during which I investigated novel technologies for electricity-driven bioconversions. I then completed a 3-year postdoctoral position at Wageningen University, where my main focus revolved around the electricity-driven bioproduction of valuable chemicals from wastes such as carbon dioxide and organic waste streams. In October 2018, I started my independent career as assistant professor at Delft University of Technology and was promoted to associate professor in October 2023. My group is interested in microbial electrochemical conversions that are relevant to nowadays’ global and societal challenges.

Awards

• 2023: H.I. Waterman Sustainability Award
• 2018: Innovation Award for Best Technological Advancement
• 2016: Discovery Award for the best scientific paper by the International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology
• 2015: Best Abstract Award presented at the Fifth International Meeting on Microbial Electrochemistry and Technologies, 1st-4th October 2015, Arizona, United States
• 2014: Best Oral Presentation Award presented at the 65^th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Microbial Electrochemistry, September 2014 in Lausanne, Switzerland