Phytonet: A Phytoplankton-powered Biobattery for Regenerative, Low-Power Internet Infrastructure

The rapid growth of internet infrastructure, driven by IoT, cloud computing, and machine learning, has led to a surge in global energy consumption, projected to increase by 9% annually. As digital networks become increasingly resource-intensive, there is a critical need to explore novel regenerative design strategies beyond mitigation, which actively contribute to the resilient functioning of ecological systems. This study presents Phytonet, a bioinspired physical manifestation of a regenerative internet infrastructure powered by biophotovoltaic (BPV) systems using photosynthetic microorganisms sourced from urban waterways. By integrating energy harvesting, carbon capture, and low-power internet hardware into a single system, the floating BPV-powered web server embodies a shift from extractive to reciprocal models of infrastructure.

A transdisciplinary approach was used to evaluate the technical performance and socio-ecological potential of BPV-powered electronic systems. Enriched phytoplankton cultures from London’s Regent’s Canal were inoculated on modular floating BPV units that were designed for flexible configuration and constructed from widely available materials. Devices were tested under laboratory and canal conditions. Real-world stakeholder engagement through scenario-building and interviews uncovered user perceptions and speculative applications, contributing to an understanding of how BPV-powered electronics might function as regenerative, community-integrated infrastructure.

The open flat plate configuration yielded a peak power output of 3.4 mW per module and a current density of 896.8 mA/m² after 30 days of operation, indicating its feasibility for powering remote low-energy electronics, such as sensors or microcontrollers in IoT applications. To contextualise the design within broader social and ecological systems, we developed a speculative floating BPV-powered web server and deployed cultural probes to explore public imaginaries of a photosynthesis-powered internet. Community responses highlighted potential applications, including environmental sensing IoT systems and biodiversity enrichment in waterways.

This research demonstrates the potential of biophotovoltaic-powered systems as a novel class of bioinspired electronics that are not only energy-generating but also ecologically integrative. By embedding photosynthetic energy harvesting into distributed digital infrastructure, Phytonet exemplifies how electronics can operate in synergy with living systems—harvesting ambient resources, supporting biodiversity, and serving low-power applications such as IoT sensing.