[Lapg] plant fuel cell

[CURTIS BLANKINSHIP]

This is a link to a plant based microbial fuel cell. Wastewater treatment
plants will be able to produce power with aquatic plants.


http://www.glastuinbouw.wur.nl/UK/expertise/energy/innovations/plantenergy/





http://inhabitat. Technology <http://inhabitat.com/green-gadgets>
Harvard Scientists Create Dirt Powered Bacteria Batteries

by Sarah Parsons <http://inhabitat.com/author/sarah-parsons/>, 10/12/09

filed under: Renewable Energy <http://inhabitat.com/category/energy/>, global
development <http://inhabitat.com/category/global-development/>, green
gadgets <http://inhabitat.com/category/green-gadgets/>

[image: sustainable design, green design, lebone, microbial fuel cell
battery, energy, renewable energy, dirt power, global development]

Harvard <http://www.harvard.edu/> scientists believe in the power of the
good earth — literally. A team at the Boston-based college have
created microbial
fuel cell (MFC) batteries
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbial_fuel_cell>that derive energy
from naturally occurring bacteria in soil. If the product
takes off, the eco-friendly batteries could provide power for some of the
500 million people in sub-Saharan
Africa<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-Saharan_Africa>who lack access
to electricity.

[image: sustainable design, green design, lebone, microbial fuel cell
battery, energy, renewable energy, dirt power, global development]

The MFC batteries, which were recently honored as one of *Popular Mechanics*‘
10 Most Brilliant Innovations of
2009<http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4332914.html?series=88>,
were first tested in Tanzania <http://www.tanzania.go.tz/> in 2008.
The MFC<http://www.microbialfuelcell.org/www/>came in the form of a
five-pound bucket, and was made up of a graphite-
cloth anode, chicken-wire cathode, mud with manure, a layer of sand which
acted as an ion barrier and salt water which acted as an electrolyte. All
components were hooked up to an electronic power-management board. The
charge coming out of the device is strong enough to charge a cell phone or
power LED lights <http://www.theledlight.com/>.

This summer, Lebone <http://www.lebone.org/> (the company formed by the
Harvard team) instituted a pilot program in
Namibia<http://www.namibiatourism.com.na/>.
So far, 100 MFCs have been buried in dirt and can provide power for several
months to Namibian families who lack access to electricity.

The system is ideal for developing nations because the MFCs are cheap to
produce, easily made and eco-friendly. In fact, it seems a shame that this
tech is *only* being used in Africa right now. We don’t know about you, but
we would be thrilled to bury some MFCs in our backyards and use them to
power our small electronic devices.



Read more: Harvard Scientists Create Dirt Powered Bacteria Batteries |
Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the
World<http://inhabitat.com/harvard-scientists-create-dirt-powered-bacteria-batteries/#ixzz17PMa9Qno>

com/harvard-scientists-create-dirt-powered-bacteria-batteries/
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