New 'E-Kaia' technology harvests excess energy from plants to charge mobile phones
Sam Oliver
In want of a free wall outlet, future mobile phone users could simply plug in to the nearest cactus thanks to a new system called E-Kaia — Â developed by a team of researchers in Chile — Â that collects the leftover energy from photosynthesis.
E-Kaia can charge small devices, like mobile phones or LED lights, using a single healthy plant. As noted by the Manquehue Institute, the E-Kaia team says its invention can output as much as 5 volts at 0.6 amps.
For comparison, Apple's ultra-compact USB power adapter — Â included with the iPhone — pushes 5 volts at 1 amp.
Energy is captured from the plant via a "biocircuit board," though further details of E-Kaia's inner workings are scant. The group is reluctant to say more while its patents are still under review.
Creators Evelyn Aravena, Carolina Guerrero, and Camila Rupcich hope to commercialize E-Kaia this year, having received funding from the economic development arm of the Chilean government.
E-Kaia is not the first system of this type, but if the technology holds up it would prove to be by far the most efficient. Plant-e, based in the Netherlands, says its competing solution requires 100 square meters of plants to harvest a similar amount of energy.
Andrew Orr
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