Chinese scientists have created energy from lotus leaves, opening the door to plants as a power source. Photo: K. Y. ChengChinese scientists have created an energy generator that uses transpiration, the process of water moving through a plant, to create electricity.
The generator can transform almost all leaves on Earth into a sustainable energy source.
The team said its leaf transpiration generator can power small electronic devices and be used to create plant-powered electricity.
It revealed a lot about how the natural processes of plants can inspire scientists. “[It] also provides a fresh perspective for advancing green energy technologies,” the team said.
The scientists worked with something called hydrovoltaic electricity, which relies on water’s interaction with solid surfaces. Current energy devices often require a constant supply of water. This creates geographic limits since they must be near bodies of water, such as rivers or dams.
“However, the natural transpiration of plant leaves ... has rarely been directly harvested,” researchers said.