Enzyme Electrochemistry for Industrial Energy Applications—A Perspective on Future Areas of Focus

While enzymes catalyze reactions with high selectivity and specificity at ambient temperature and pressure, electroactive enzymes retain such remarkable catalytic properties for catalyzing redox reactions on the basis of direct or mediated electron transfer with an electrode. They offer the possibility for alternative, environmentally friendly production for a variety of industrially relevant chemicals, such as hydrogen gas, ammonia, and methanol. This Perspective summarizes the recent progress in electrochemistry involving hydrogenases, nitrogenases, and enzymes involved in the chemistry of one-carbon compounds. We discuss the current challenges of achieving high catalytic rates and stability on the basis of two promising improvements to existing enzymatic electrochemical systems—redox polymers and gas-diffusion electrodes.