Light up the led lights with potatoes

Scientists are conducting a series of studies to be able to create a new battery with the main ingredient being . potatoes.

For years, researcher Rabinowitch of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and colleagues have been motivated by the idea of ​​producing a source of 'potato energy' to supply people with power cuts. With just a potato and a few cheap metal plates, wires and LED bulbs, the scientists argued that the new battery could provide light to towns and villages all over the world. gender.

'A potato can power an active LED bulb for up to 40 days,' said Rabinowitch.

This idea may sound absurd, but it comes from specific scientific evidence. Scientists say to produce potato batteries , only two metal plates are needed: an anode with a negative electrode (made of zinc) and a cathode with a positive electrode (can be made of copper). The acid inside the potato will produce a chemical reaction with zinc and copper, and the energy will then be released.

Scientists are trying to create a low voltage source from potatoes - (Artwork: BBC)

"We looked at 20 different types of potatoes, and found that the amount of energy released by heat," said graduate student Alex Goldberg of the University of California.

Experimental results show that when potatoes are boiled within 8 minutes, the organic tissues in potatoes are broken, thereby reducing resistance and allowing electrons to move freely, resulting in more energy. . Besides, it is possible to increase the amount of electricity released by cutting the potato into 4-5 pieces, then using the zinc plates and copper clamps."We realize that we can increase electricity output by 10 times, this will be very economical because energy costs will be reduced ," Goldberg said.

'This is a low voltage, but enough to make batteries that can charge mobile phones or laptops in places where there is no electricity , ' Robimowitch said.

Analyzing costs, scientists believe that this 'boiled potato battery' could generate energy at a price of $ 9 per kWh, 50 times cheaper than a 1.5 volt AA battery or battery D. Potato batteries are also cheaper than kerosene lamps used in developing countries about 6 times.

According to BBC, potato batteries have significant advantages after. It is the world's number one seedless crop with over 320 million tons produced in 2010. It is popular in 120 countries, and is a huge source of starch for billions of people. In particular, potatoes are very cheap and can be stored for a long time.

However, why did the three years after the experiment start, governments, companies or reorganization did not have anything to say about this?"The simple answer is that they don't even know about it ," said Rabinowitch. But maybe the answer is more complicated than that.

First, it is a matter of turning a food into energy. According to the senior expert of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Olivier Dubois, the use of food as energy will have to avoid reducing food reserves. Besides, there are some doubts about the feasibility of potato power.'The production of energy from potatoes is synonymous with trade with metals. Metal plates like zinc will be corroded over time , 'said Professor Derek Lovley at the University of Massachusetts.

However, there is no denying the idea of ​​this potato battery with simple and cheap advantages. Potato battery advocates will certainly continue to research and develop them.