| Summary: | In this study, a microbial fuel cell was integrated into a hydroponic system (MFC-Hyp) using a ceramic membrane as a separator. The MFC-Hyp is a passive system that allows the transport of nutrients from wastewater in the microbial fuel cell (MFC) to water in the hydroponic vessel (Hyp) through a ceramic membrane separator, with no external energy input. The performance of this system was examined using potato-process wastewater as a source of energy and nutrients (K, P, N) and garlic chives (<i>Allium tuberosum</i>) as a hydroponic plant. The results showed that based on dry weight, the leaves of <i>Allium tuberosum</i> grew 142% more in the MFC-Hyp than those of the plant in the Hyp without the MFC, in a 49-day run. The mass fluxes of K, P, and NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-N from the MFC to the Hyp through the ceramic membrane were 4.18 ± 0.70, 3.78 ± 1.90, and 2.04 ± 0.98 µg s<sup>−1</sup>m<sup>−2</sup>, respectively. It was apparent that the diffusion of nutrients from wastewater in the MFC enhanced the plant growth in the Hyp. The MFC-Hyp in the presence of <i>A. tuberosum</i> produced the maximum power density of 130.2 ± 45.4 mW m<sup>−2</sup>. The findings of this study suggest that the MFC-Hyp system has great potential to be a “carbon-neutral” technology that could be transformed into an important part of a diversified worldwide energy–water–food supply system.
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