The search
for renewable energy has made use of the sun, the sea - and now potentially our
wee. Researchers in England have been using urine to create small electrical
charges, which could be scaled up to a fuel source.
At the
"wet lab" in the Bristol Robotics laboratory in southwest England,
there's a not-so-pleasant smell. It's "similar to the smell of a toilet,
of the gents," explained scientist Ioannis Ieropoulos.
Scientists
have known for some time that microbes can generate electricity. When microbes
break down organic material such as food waste or grass clippings, electrons
and protons are freed, which can work to push electronic current around a
circuit like a battery.
Ieropoulos
had been studying this process for more than a decade to see if it could be
used to power robots - but it was only recently that he realized the power of
urine.
For eight
or nine years, Ieropoulos said, the researchers at the Bristol lab "tried
grass clippings - we tried prawn shells, we tried dead insects, we tried rotten
fruit, we tried waste water."
The
"eureka moment," Ieropoulos said, was when they tried urine.
"We'd never before reached that level of power output."
Small
system already developed
 |
In fuel cells, chemicals are converted to
electricity - the one pictured here uses
hydrogen and oxygen |
Ieropoulos
found that by adding fresh urine to his microbes, he could increase the power
output three fold.
The doctor
created a simple system: a urinal that is linked up via a microbial fuel cell
to a USB port, which generates enough electricity to charge small electronic
devices like mobile phones.
The
invention impressed the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation so much that it gave
the lab a grant to improve the technology and get it working in the real world.
Ieropoulos
said that they're aiming for large-scale implementation. But he added that
their larger goal is to do "something for society."
Systems
could be implemented, for example, to help tackle health and sanitation issues,
and "deliver useful electricity to remote communities that are not
connected to the grid," Ieropoulos said.
Improving
sanitation, helping the environment
The Gates
Foundation grant enabled Ioannis to travel to Delhi to showcase his invention,
which he's named "Urinetricity."
Sarina
Prabasi, CEO of Water Aid America, said that Urinetricity could play a vital
role in improving sanitation in developing areas. Prabasi thinks that it could
provide the incentive communities need to deal with their waste, which is often
lacking.
"If
there's something where people can turn this in to a business, then the
incentive will be there," Prabasi said.
 |
It's hoped that large-scale application
of "Urinetricity" can help grow crops |
Combining
the fuel cells with water purification technology could also make a difference
provide environmental benefits. John Greenman, a professor at the University of
the West of England in Bristol, is working with microbes that produce clean water
and fertilizer, which can help grow crops.
This could,
for example, be combined with Ioannis' system to create a "super
toilet."
Unprocessed
urine cannot be applied directly to cropland. But microbes separate the organic
material out of the waste, Greenman explained. "The fluid that comes off
at the other end is a lot cleaner, and can be put out into nature," he
said.
"And
the electricity generated could be used to run water treatment plants - so you
get benefits in both ways," Greenman stated. In a green factory, for
example, such a system could break down waste while producing electricity.
Overcoming
the taboo
Ieropoulos
acknowledged that one of the hurdles for his project is the discomfort some
people might have around the source of the new electricity.
"There
are taboos, cultural and religious issues that prevent people from talking
about the topic of human waste and how that can be exploited or utilized,"
Ieropoulos said.
Although
many people might struggle to keep a straight face about the topic, the
benefits to for people and the environment will hopefully outweigh
squeamishness around using urine for electricity.
Related Articles:
 |
| Ready for use: lawn fertiliser made from city officials' urine |
