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Potato-Powered Batteries Debut

Posted by kdawson on from the energizer-tuber dept.

MojoKid writes "Yissum Research Development Company Ltd., the technology transfer arm of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has just introduced what it's calling 'solid organic electric battery based upon treated potatoes.' In short, it's a potato-powered battery, and it's as real as you're hoping it is. The simple, sustainable, robust device can potentially provide an immediate inexpensive solution to electricity needs in parts of the world lacking electrical infrastructure. Researchers at the Hebrew University discovered that the enhanced salt bridge capability of treated potato tubers can generate electricity through means readily available in developing nations."

7 of 284 comments (clear)

  1. Puff piece by ozmanjusri · · Score: 5, Informative
    There should be a whole bunch of red faces on Slashdot for putting this on the front page.

    There's nothing new about using vegetables as electrolytes, and all of the electricity is derived from the non-sustainable zinc and copper, not the boiled spud.

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
    1. Re:Puff piece by LambdaWolf · · Score: 5, Informative
      I believe the news here is that the technology is pragmatically usable (a potato battery used outside of an elementary school classroom? That's news) and in a way that's more economical than equivalent sources. From TFA:

      Cost analyses showed that the treated potato battery generates energy, which is five to 50 folds cheaper than commercially available 1.5 Volt D cells and Energizer E91 cells, respectively. The clean light powered by this green battery is also at least 6 times more economical than kerosene lamps often used in the developing world.

      --
      "This algorithm runs in constant time. Come on, 2,147,483,648 is a constant..."
    2. Re:Puff piece by value_added · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yep... 1.6 billion people are going to boil potatoes and place them between sheets of copper and zinc in order to light an LED

      No, but I'd suggest that a few routinely go to similar lengths to do something better.

      Cheers. ;-)

    3. Re:Puff piece by Sir_Lewk · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You know, I can put up with a lot of idiocy before I start to suspect malice, but this has gone too far. A potato battery article on slashdot, "news for nerds"? Kdawson is officially a troll.

      --
      "linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
  2. What's that you say, Senator Stevens? by mrsteveman1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's not an electrical grid, it's just a series of tubers.

  3. Re:food by Nursie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    NEWSFLASH - not everyone in developing nation is starving and short of food. For some, an alternative power source such as this is appropriate.

  4. Re:food by bennomatic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    THANK YOU. That sort of mentality disgusts me. I stayed at a place in Belize near the Guatemalan border once, and that place is third world by anyone's definition. And walking down the streets you had to dodge the chickens and keep an eye out for falling mangoes. I'm sure that if they had a way to power their cell phone towers with mangoes and chickens (and other plentiful items, they'd be thrilled to do so.

    --
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