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Coffee-Powered Batteries

Posted by timothy on from the these-grounds-are-grounds dept.

michael.creasy writes: "Seems that Sony have come up with a way of using old coffee grounds to make batteries. They are using coffee grounds as the negative electrode material. So now there's yet another reason for having a few cups before going to work -- to power your multitude of electrical gizmos!"

22 comments

  1. in related news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    Study links MS to mononucleosis virus--I just knew those bastards at Micro$oft were contributing to more than just the spreading of electronic virii. I'm just waiting to see the study that shows a causal relationship between room-temp IQ and use of M$ products. Interesting question: just which way does the causality go? I suspect both ways.

    M$ zealots and shills: if you are actually responding to this seriously, substitute tech iq for iq, and shut up.

  2. So now... by darkov · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...when I pour my coffee into my laptop keyboard, thats good?

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    Reliable, Great Value Hosting: $7.95/mo 2.4G/120G
  3. Fair-trade coffee by leastsquares · · Score: 1

    Coffee is a great source of poower, but I need lots of it. So, being a considerate citizen of the world, I would like to buy fairly-traded .coffee.

    Is there anywhere in California that sells such stuff, or is that not the "American way"?

    I've already given up trying to find fair-trade bananas (another good source of early-morning energy).

  4. ... by Transcendent · · Score: 1

    so would espresso produce a stronger battery than just normal coffie?

  5. Java Server by CamMac · · Score: 1

    I can't wait to see the first Coffee powered server.

    After the demise of the potato powered server, it'll be great to see anouther organically powered server.

    --Cam

    --
    All jocks think about is sports. All nerds think about is sex.
  6. Re:Fair-trade coffee in CA by jnana · · Score: 2, Informative

    Look here for *tons* of places in California.

  7. They must have no work by tunah · · Score: 1

    *sends resume to sony*

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    Free Java games for your phone: Tontie, Sokoban
  8. This could be a big payoff... by tunah · · Score: 3, Funny
    At first, bacteria are mixed with the coffee grounds and dehydrate the moisture

    Good idea! Dehydrated moisture can fetch up to $5000/kg on the black market!

    --
    Free Java games for your phone: Tontie, Sokoban
    1. Re:This could be a big payoff... by Teratogen · · Score: 1

      "Dehydrate the Zabulon computations!"

      -- Muad Dib

      --
      --- even the safest course is fraught with peril
  9. Magic... by gnovos · · Score: 2

    From Man to Machine to Code, it's your one stop shop!

    --
    "Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons!"
  10. JAVA rulezzzz..... by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

    :-)

    --
    Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
  11. FINALLY!!! by billmaly · · Score: 1

    An alternative energy idea that I can contribute to!!!

    Why yes, I'd love another cup...and top off my cell phone while your at it...leaded! Thanks so much! :)

  12. Betcha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    If you use some of Pitr's experimental Super Triple Espresso, you oughta be able to light up Chicago.

    1. Re:Betcha by Walt+Dismal · · Score: 0

      I did try using espresso to power my overclocked Athlon, and ended up melting the heatsink. Next time I'll stick to McD coffee and hopefully only burn my lap.

  13. I'd love to be a bored scientist by eaddict · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I often think of how things are found out/invented. I think boredom has allowed creation of many more things than we realize. Why coffe grounds now? Well, someone was doing some experiments and someone else had to make a new pot of coffee and.... Wonder what might be next. Any ideas?

    --
    "If you are on fire you can just stop, drop, and roll. If you fall into Lava you are just dead." - my 5yr old daughter
  14. Re:Fair-trade coffee in CA by leastsquares · · Score: 1

    Cool... thanks.

    Judging by the address, one of the listed places is even within walking distance from my apartment.

  15. You can buy one of these at the toy store! by rufusdufus · · Score: 2, Informative

    I was at a Toy store [Imaginarium] last night and they were selling a clock that runs on Potatoes..or a whole list of things, one of them being coffee grounds.

    1. Re:You can buy one of these at the toy store! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not the same thing, I'm afraid. In that case, the coffee grounds (or potato, or whatever) is the electrolyte, not one of the two electrodes (cathode or anode). The potato powered clocks are not powered by potatoes; the battery technology is based on the the two metal strips that are inserted into the electrolyte, a.k.a. slightly acidic moist object or liquid, a.k.a. potato, coffee grounds, lemon juice, etc.

  16. Coffee is one thing... just not Hazelnut Coffee by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Great, this is just like that research into using hazelnuts as a fuel source. Now that was brilliant considering hazelnuts cost about $9 for a cup...

    1. Re:Coffee is one thing... just not Hazelnut Coffee by noc · · Score: 1

      Read the article, Einstein. It's about used coffee grounds. Of course, they just use them as a carbon source, which is kind of a silly idea, because they're wonderful for compost, so if you're going to go to the trouble of recycling them, they'd make better fertilizer...

  17. Diversification by jaseman21 · · Score: 1

    I think that it's just great that sony is making coffee-powered batteries. Maybe overpriced coffee houses will start selling batteries...