Bacteria Generating Electricity 

 

Peruvian researchers have created a lightsource that uses plantlife as its fuel.

 

Inspired by real and immediate problems in remote areas of the country, researchers at Peru’s Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología (UTEC) have developed a remarkable piece of technology — a low-cost LED lamp that uses plants and soil as its batteries.

 

UTEC's "plant lamp" is actually more of a conduit for bacteria than an electrified fern -- researchers built a metal grid in a planter that captures energy released from "geobacters," a kind of microrganism that gives off electrons.

 

The energy given off by these bacteria are then storied in a battery, which can provide up to two hours of light per day. That's two hours of artificial light from a single plant. And while the technology isn't anywhere near the scale needed to roll it out on a mass market scale, the ten prototypes that have currently been built are already providing the occupants of Nuevo Saposoa with an ideal natural alternative to the dangers of using kerosene lamps.

 

Researchers have created 10 fully functional prototypes, which have been distributed to families in the affected village.