A Northwestern University-led team of researchers has developed a new fuel cell that harvests energy from microbes living in dirt. About the size of a standard paperback book, the completely soil-powered technology could fuel underground sensors used in precision agriculture and green infrastruct

Northwestern University researchers have introduced a soil-microbe-powered fuel cell, significantly outperforming similar technologies and providing a sustainable solution for powering low-energy devices.

  • TheOneWithTheHair@lemmy.worldEnglish
    25·
    9 months ago

    " As long as there is organic carbon in the soil for the microbes to break down, the fuel cell can potentially last forever.”

    It’s also a stationary battery

    “Although the entire device is buried, the vertical design ensures that the top end is flush with the ground’s surface.”