World’s First Chlorophyll Organic Battery Runs on Any Liquid
Professor Chungpin Hovering Liao of National Formosa University in Taiwan has created the world’s first chlorophyll organic battery. The battery can use any liquid—even urine—to power up. It doesn’t take much time to start juicing the battery, either. Within 10 seconds of being doused with liquid, the battery starts providing power.
The battery’s flexibility does come with a catch: it only produces half the power of a conventional battery . But its power generation capabilities are still formidable—the chlorophyll battery reportedly can store more energy than Japan’s water-powered fuel cells.
Professor Liao’s battery also has the low production cost of NT$1 to NT$2 (US$.03 to US$.06). And unlike conventional batteries, it doesn’t contain toxic substances.
Stay tuned for more info about the invention—Liao is currently in the process of applying for patents in Taiwan and the United States.
Photo Credit: Taiwan News
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October 31st, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Look at this in a larger scale. Not AA’s but car type and larger.
Used as an emergency power system. Or alongside hydroelectric plants. Or even in you backyard hooked to you rain gutters.
October 31st, 2008 at 9:36 pm
In ten or twenty years!!!
November 1st, 2008 at 8:20 am
Wow, now THAT is truly an amazing breakthrough is it not? Amazing.
Jiff
http://www.Privacy-Center.net
November 1st, 2008 at 8:34 am
Great, but I’m still waiting for the best rechargeable battery solution. ^^
November 1st, 2008 at 8:37 am
Any liquid? Even water or mercury?
November 1st, 2008 at 8:58 am
this discovery will disappear like other battery technology. The oil companies will buy the patent and lock it away.
November 1st, 2008 at 8:59 am
eliminate two things at same time. not having to pull over to pee or fill up on gas.
November 1st, 2008 at 9:28 am
I think the true innovation here is the fact that the battery costs to produce are about 100x cheaper than conventional batteries. This outweights the early development issues. Of course, if the fluid type were calibrated there could be orders of magnitude of efficiency.. say distilled water for example.
November 1st, 2008 at 10:16 am
If this technology is scalable, imagine it as a replacement to fossil fuels in vehicles! Just drive up to your local “gas” station and fill up your tank with Miracle Grow (or whatever food the batteries need). Unlimited range in an electric vehicle! Woohoo!
Of course, that’s assuming you wouldn’t have to replace the batteries after 10 recharges or so.
November 1st, 2008 at 11:01 am
“And unlike conventional batteries, it doesn’t contain toxic substances.”
Yeah unless you urinate in it.
November 1st, 2008 at 12:00 pm
just think….road trip……half-rack……pissing on the battery when it runs out.
November 1st, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I hope this works out. You often hear about products that will revolutionize the green marked, but you never hear from them again..
November 1st, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Couldn’t the output of a hydrogen-powered engine ie WATER, by routed to a bank of these chlorophyll batteries to power the electic systems in a hydrogen car (lights, radio etc)leaving the total electical energy of the hydrogen engine to power the car’s motors, thereby making it more economical with the hydrogen?
November 1st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Ah, Fuel cells do not store energy, they transform fuel into electricity.
November 1st, 2008 at 2:36 pm
This is great news. I have been concerned
about battery pollutants for energy
storage in the mountains of Italy.
Perhaps when I am ready to generate solar
power that energy could be stored in
low toxic batteries.
thank you from tony
November 2nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
What i meant was this:
Hydrogen into car -> hydrogen drives engine, makes wheels turn -> engine produces water -> water flows into chlorophyll batteries, makes MORE power for lights/radio/GPS etc.
You digg?
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Very interesting, but lots of questions remain.
- How long will it remain viable before you add water?
- It’s organic… What is it’s working temp range?
- Voltage varies during discharge, what’s the curve?
Could be useful for emergencies. Stored in a life preserver or life boat to run the radio beacon.
December 1st, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I think someone should make the point that nowhere does it say that this is ‘recharged’ with water. It sounds like it is activated with water (and is not rechargable). If this is the case there’s no point scalling it up unless the production carbon cost is also low (which it may be if it is extracted from plants, but I don’t know that). Now if you could recharge it (putting it in the sun would be a cool option). Then reactivate it by putting it in water again there would be a cool product, assuming a low carbon footprint and reasonable power denisty.
I’m not knocking the product it could be a good replacement for conventional AA’s etc. But you gotta keep your feet on the ground, and see a product for what it is.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
As the (GRD) great republican depression deepens, Americans, the greatest consumer market in the world, will learn to restrain themselves. The GRD will cause huge sociological and psychological changes in America, and already has changed some things – We will soon seek out economical, green products. A non-toxic green and cheap battery looks very promising for the future. If it stores well before liquid addition, and is simple to energize, we may have a winner!
January 3rd, 2009 at 8:01 am
Great post…these innovations blow my mind because they ultimately mean a collapse of market share for the monopolising business cartels of the planet.
Check out great science documentaries at my site…
http://www.onlinedocumentaries4u.com/
January 30th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Any liquid? Why can’t you just leave it in the sea?
February 15th, 2009 at 6:39 am
if this is anygood, the patent will be bought out by big oil…….then if it goes into production, the cost will be sky-high; big oil needs it’s profits…
July 11th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
The power doesn’t come from the liquid. It just needs to be wet to run.
Since the alternative liquid they give (even urine!) is almost entirely water, I doubt the claim that it can use any liquid. Does it work with oil? Mercury? Liquid hydrogen?
Also, Michael is retarded. Fuel cells don’t store energy? Perhaps not as electricity, but neither do batteries.