Innovative plant lamps draw energy from dirt and vegetation to light remote villages

The lamps rely on a type of bacteria called “geobacters,” which oxidize nutrients in the soil produced by nearby plants. This process naturally generates electricity, which scientists are able to capture by placing electrodes in the soil. By transferring the energy to a battery, villagers can light a portable LED lamp. The video below shows UTEC’s plant lamp in action:

So far, UTEC and its partner organization FCB Mayo have provided 10 of the lamps to residents of Nuevo Saposoa, a village that has been without power since a flood last March damaged the cables connecting residents to the grid. Each lamp is connected to a wooden box with a drawer holding electrodes and dirt, with a single plant on top. Now, children in the village can study at night without breathing harmful fumes or sitting next to an open flame.

http://gbpp.org/en/2015/12/12557