The biological production of hydrogen by microalgae is considered as an advantageous process. However, its yields are sometimes limited. To go beyond this limit, the improvement of the H-2 generation rate by Spirulina was studied via an electrochemical photo-bioreactor (EPBR). This EPBR led to hydrogen evolution rates of up to 27.49 and 13.37 mol of H-2.d(-1).m(-1) for the anode and cathode chambers, respectively, under 0.3 V voltage and similar to 2.5 mA current. These results represent about a 4-fold increase compared to the H-2 production rate recorded without the application of a voltage. This increase in bio-hydrogen production is correlated with a drop in the concentration of NADPH. The Electrochemical Sequential Batch Reactor (ESRB) provided a more interesting total production rate which was 2.65 m(3) m(-3) d(-1), compared to the batch mode, which gave 1.2 m(3) m(-3).d(-1). The results show, for the first time, the boosting effect of the voltage on the metabolism of H-2 production by the Spirulina strain. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.