3 Weirdly Wonderful Discoveries that Could Generate Clean Energy

Lightning over mountains. Photo by Micah Tindell.
Lightning over mountains. Photo by Micah Tindell.

The world has long been looking for an alternative to producing energy – something renewable, clean, and readily available. Here are a few unexpected projects that are generating clean energy right now.

#1: Tiny crystals transform light into wireless energy

Researchers have discovered a possible alternative to electric actuators: a lightweight material made from tiny crystals that bend when exposed to light, enabling them to lift other objects and possibly produce wireless energy.

  • Actuators are devices that convert energy into force or movement.

Find out how it works

#2: Recycled aluminum rattles

There’s an easy way to make static electricity: crumple recycled aluminum into balls, place them in a small tube, and shake it. But then what?

A team of researchers is looking at methods to harness this kind of electricity to power an external device, and they’ve already had some success with lighting LEDs! Watch the video to see it in action.

#3: Harvesting electricity from humid air

What if we could create electricity out of thin air? A new technology is turning this dream into a reality by collecting power from the flow of electrons in humid air.

Could it be the future of clean energy? The answer is a solid… maybe! Researchers are developing ways to use this method on a larger scale

Learn more here

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