12th January 2016
By Carolanne Wright
Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
Could living plants be the future of electricity? If the folks at Plant-e
have anything to say about it, the answer is a resounding YES. To prove
their point, a project dubbed “Starry Sky” illuminated 300 LED lights
in Hembrug, Netherlands — exclusively powered by living plants. Similar
to another project about an hour’s drive away, both installations are
the first two public applications of the budding technology.
But plant-powered lighting isn’t the
only area the company has explored, Wi-Fi hotspots, mobile chargers and
rooftop electricity modules are also available. And large-scale tubular
systems for commercial use are in the works.
The Ultimate Green Energy
While the idea of photosynthesis to generate energy
isn’t necessarily new — remember engineering clocks made from potatoes
in middle school? — Plant-e’s technology is the first to harness power
from plants without harming them. Marjolein Helder, Plant-e’s cofounder
and CEO, believes the advancements achieved by their company are nothing
short of revolutionary.
Both light projects that brightened the
Dutch night used native aquatic plants that were grown in modules
connected to each other. By utilizing the process of photosynthesis,
Plant-e has found a way to generate electricity, as explained by Yes! Magazine:
