From Fungal Pigments to Green Power

Inside Jens Sørensen’s Bio-Battery Breakthrough

Could mushrooms help power the future? That’s the bold idea behind Jens Laurids Sørensen’s groundbreaking research at Aalborg University. Since winning the inaugural Future is Fungi Award in 2023, Jens and his team have transformed what began as a lab experiment into a working prototype — and they’re now taking steps toward bringing it to market.

At the core of their project is a simple but powerful concept: using fungi to create batteries that are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. “We’ve been working on developing a battery based on fungal pigments that can be used to store electricity from solar panels and wind turbines,” Jens explains.

Since receiving the award, the team has refined the battery design, improved the performance of the fungal pigments, and built a working lab-scale prototype.
“We have developed a laboratory-scale proof-of-concept model, demonstrating that the technology works — which has been our biggest success. We’ve also shown that biologically produced batteries can be a viable solution for the future,” Jens says.

Jens Laurids Sørensen in the lab, credit: Aalborg University

Unlike today’s metal-heavy batteries, these “bio-batteries” rely on fungal pigments (fungal quinones), which can be grown and refined with far less environmental impact than traditional batteries, offering a greener alternative for storing renewable energy. Jens explains, “Most batteries are based on metals, which are obtained through environmentally harmful mining. With our battery, we’re aiming to provide a much more sustainable solution.”

The team’s next goal is to take their invention out of the lab and into the world. They’re now laying the groundwork to commercialize the fungal battery and, hopefully, bring it to market.

“Our next goal is to move our research out of the lab and demonstrate that the battery can be used in real-world applications. This will require tremendous upscaling of our production, which will be an interesting process,” Jens says. “As part of this journey, we plan to start a spin-out company.” Jens hopes to pursue this goal through soft funding in Denmark or with help from interested investors.

Pictured: the electrochemical cell from the prototype of the biological battery. Photo: AAU Esbjerg

For Jens personally, the biggest milestone after winning the award has been their first steps toward commercialization — a leap he hadn’t expected to make so soon, but the momentum from the Future is Fungi Award helped push things forward. “I’m not sure I would have taken this route so soon if I hadn’t won the award,” he admits.

From Award to Acceleration

Winning the award didn’t just bring recognition; it opened valuable doors. Jens has since been invited to international conferences, podcasts, and media features, helping to raise awareness and attract interest from potential partners and investors.

“Winning the award has really increased awareness of our research and opened up many opportunities,” Jens says. “To progress with the development of our fungal battery, we need investments from funding agencies or private venture funds, and here, the award has been a very effective door opener.”

On a personal level, the experience has been especially meaningful. “The scientific world can be very competitive, and we rarely win awards,” Jens reflects. “Therefore, receiving the prize was a huge deal and has given me even more motivation to pursue my scientific goals.”

While the battery project is currently center stage, Jens believes fungi hold huge potential for solving many of society’s challenges, from materials and food to environmental cleanup. “The fungal world is full of opportunities,” he says. “Although I’m always looking for the next interesting project, my main focus right now is on optimizing our battery and pushing toward commercialization.”

For other researchers thinking about applying for the Future is Fungi Award, Jens has simple advice: “If you’re considering it — do it. The recognition that comes with winning the award can really help elevate your research and open up many new opportunities. It will also give you another perspective on your research and can help you on your way toward commercialization.”

With nature-inspired solutions like Jens’s fungal battery, the future of sustainable energy looks a little greener — and a lot more exciting.