Would you ever imagine that in the future, bacteria would be capable of generating energy? Well, you don’t have to think about that for long as that future is here and we have scientists from the Imperial College of London to thank. By using Cyanobacteria — microorganisms of bacteria that obtains energy through photosynthesis — scientists were able to create batteries with bacteria as their energy source. They call them: Bacteria Powered Paper Batteries.
What’s Different About Them?
There’s a couple of reasons why these batteries are making news. Firstly, they don’t require constant sunlight to generate electricity like conventional solar cells. They’re also completely biodegradable, meaning they could help to eliminate our urban ecological footprint. But most importantly, these batteries have great potential to revolutionize the power source in remote, developing countries because how cheap and easy they are to make.
Currently, one quarter of the world is without electricity due to limited finances and resources. These paper bacteria batteries could make for an alternative method to conventional batteries. Along with being easy to make, they’re also extremely easy to recharge and require no charging outlets or connection to power cables. To charge the battery, all you need to do is add more wastewater.
And while you can’t run a car on the power of these batteries, researchers were able to generate about 31 microwatts with three of these batteries and about 44 microwatts with six. The battery power output is therefore dependent on the amount of paper and how that amount is stacked.
More Benefits
These batteries are not only good for the environment and cost efficient, but also have the potential to solve one of the world’s biggest global issues — 1.3 billion people globally without electricity. About a million of these to light up a 40-wattlight bulb. However, in areas where there is no power at all, the smallest amount of power these batteries bring, is paramount.
Resources:
- http://www.ibtimes.com/bacteria-powered-batteries-printable-solar-cell-using-cyanobacteria-carbon-nanotubes-2620581
- https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/23/this-battery-is-power-by-bacteria/
- https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/germs-power-new-paper-batteries
- https://www.sciencealert.com/this-foldable-battery-is-power-by-bacteria-from-wastewater
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/electricity-gap-developing-countries-energy-wood-charcoal/
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/world/world-without-power/