Molly Ayala
Harvesting Electricity from the Ground
The idea of harvesting electricity from the Earth is an intriguing concept and one that has been explored by scientists and researchers. One method, known as earth batteries or telluric power sources, involves burying a pair of electrodes made of two dissimilar metals, such as iron and copper, in the soil or submerging them in water. This process, discovered by Alexander Bain in 1841, generates voltage by tapping into telluric currents. Another approach, called quantum tunnelling, focuses on capturing excess infrared radiation and waste heat from the Earth's atmosphere and converting them into usable electricity. SEFE, a company specializing in atmospheric electricity generation, claims to be able to provide a limitless supply of renewable energy through similar means. These innovations in energy harvesting showcase the potential for alternative and sustainable power sources that can operate regardless of weather conditions and without occupying large spaces, as with solar or wind farms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Method | Earth battery |
| Components | A pair of electrodes made of two dissimilar metals, such as iron, copper, zinc, palladium, carbon, gold, and titanium |
| Metal plates with differing electrical properties and suitable protective coatings, such as powdered coke or felt | |
| Automotive spark plug, automotive coil, and deep-cycle battery | |
| Function | The electrodes are buried in the soil or immersed in water, generating electricity through telluric currents or water activation |
| The metal plates are placed in a specific direction and orientation with respect to a magnetic field, which affects the current output | |
| The automotive spark plug and coil system collects static electricity, converting it into low-voltage, high-amp electricity to charge a battery | |
| Advantages | Limitless supply of renewable energy |
| Does not require significant space, unlike solar or wind systems | |
| Can operate around the clock and in any weather conditions | |
| Disadvantages | Requires specific placement and orientation of electrodes for optimal current output |
| The automotive spark plug and coil system takes 1,000 feet of wire to charge a battery in about 12 hours |
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What You'll Learn
Using an Earth battery
An Earth battery is a simple and accessible clean energy innovation that can be built by anyone using basic electrical components and tools. It is a water-activated battery that produces an electrical current using electrochemical reactions in the soil.
The simplest Earth batteries consist of a pair of electrodes made of two dissimilar metals, such as iron and copper, which are buried in the soil or immersed in the sea. The soil acts as an electrolyte in a voltaic cell, and the device acts as a primary cell. The two metals are connected above ground by a wire with minimal resistance. The current flows from the plate whose position in the electropotential series is closest to the negative end, such as palladium. The current produced is highest when the two metals are furthest apart in the electropotential series, and when the material closest to the positive end is oriented towards the north, while the negative end is directed towards the south.
To build a small Earth battery, you will need a cathode (such as a galvanized nail or chicken wire), an anode (such as a graphite cloth), and a container full of soil or compost. The entire installation process should take no more than 30 minutes. Large Earth batteries, on the other hand, may take a few hours to build, as you will need to stake out the locations of the electrodes, plant them, and connect them to copper wires and then to your home. Large Earth batteries require an expansive area of constantly moist soil and can only be installed outdoors.
Earth batteries are an excellent way to reduce your electricity bill and your carbon footprint. They are ideal for off-grid living and can power everyday electronics such as radios, lamps, and mobile phones.
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Harvesting infrared radiation
Infrared radiation is a promising source of renewable energy. An emissive energy harvester (EEH) is a device that can generate energy by emitting thermal radiation into the sky. The Earth's surface is warmer than outer space, and this temperature difference results in the emission of infrared thermal radiation from the Earth's surface.
An EEH device can be designed to have a large emissivity in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) "atmospheric window" at 8-13 µm, where the atmosphere is mostly transparent. When the EEH device emits thermal radiation toward the sky, it receives far less radiation back due to the temperature difference. This imbalance between incoming and outgoing radiation can be converted into an imbalance in electron motion, resulting in useful electrical power.
The EEH device would sit outdoors with its emissive surface pointing upward. However, because the atmosphere is not perfectly transparent, EEH power generation will be influenced by weather and atmospheric conditions and impeded by thick, low clouds.
One of the challenges in developing EEH devices is the small wavelength of infrared emissions, which requires micro or nanoscale antennas for collection. Researchers at KAUST have developed a proof-of-concept device that utilizes infrared radiation and waste heat from industrial processes by converting quadrillionth-of-a-second wave signals into electricity.
Another approach is the use of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diodes, which can catch infrared waves with zero applied voltage. Experiments have shown that these diodes can successfully harvest energy solely from radiation and not from thermal effects. This technology has the potential to be scaled up to boost overall electricity generation.
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Quantum tunnelling
The key to this process is the creation of a new type of diode that uses quantum tunnelling to convert energy into DC electricity. This diode, called a "rectenna" (short for rectifying antenna), is a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure that acts as a tunnelling device, allowing electrons to move through a small barrier and turning infrared waves into current.
The scientists involved in this concept have created a bowtie-shaped nanoantenna, made from gold and titanium, with a thin insulator film sandwiched between two slightly overlapped metallic arms. This design generates the intense electrical fields required for tunnelling to work. While this technology is still in its early stages, it has the potential to revolutionize energy harvesting by providing a constant source of clean energy that is not dependent on weather conditions.
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Atmospheric electricity generation
The Earth's atmosphere is a dynamic and complex system that exhibits electrical phenomena, such as lightning and transient luminous events. These phenomena are the result of the movement of electrical charges between the Earth's surface, the atmosphere, and the ionosphere, known as the global atmospheric electrical circuit. Thunderstorms play a crucial role in this circuit, acting as giant batteries that charge up the electrosphere to hundreds of thousands of volts. This results in the creation of an electric field throughout the atmosphere, with the magnitude of the field near the Earth's surface averaging around 100 V/m.
The concept of harvesting atmospheric electricity is not new. As early as 1750, Benjamin Franklin hypothesized that electricity could be extracted from clouds using a tall metal aerial. In 1752, Thomas-François Dalibard successfully drew sparks from a passing cloud using an iron rod, confirming Franklin's theory. Franklin's famous kite experiment further explored this idea. These early experiments laid the foundation for modern atmospheric electricity generation.
Today, companies like SEFE (Static Electricity From the Environment) are developing innovative technologies to harness this renewable energy source. SEFE's Harmony system utilizes a series of patented and patent-pending devices to draw static electricity from the atmosphere and convert it into usable power. By sending a conductive cable into the atmosphere via a high-altitude weather balloon or blimp, the system captures the naturally occurring electricity and transmits it to a power generator. From there, the electricity can be fed into existing power grids for commercial and residential consumption.
The Harmony system addresses some of the challenges associated with traditional renewable energy sources, such as wind farms, which can be land-intensive and visually obtrusive. By hoisting the airborne device high into the atmosphere, the SEFE system maximizes electricity collection while minimizing its impact on the landscape. Additionally, each unit can generate a significant amount of electricity, reducing the need for a large number of collaborative units.
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Using electromagnets
Electromagnetic induction is a process that creates an electromotive force across an electric conductor in the presence of a changing magnetic field. When a magnetic field around a conductor changes, it causes the electrons in the conductor to move, creating an electric current. This principle is the basis for many electrical generators and motors.
Michael Faraday discovered in 1831 that magnets could generate electricity using electromagnetic induction. He produced the first electromagnetic generator, the Faraday disk, which was made from a copper disk rotating between the poles of a horseshoe magnet to produce electric currents.
Electromagnets can be used in electric motors, where the stator holds the magnets, and the rotor holds the electrical conductor. The electric current from the conductor causes the magnetic field from the magnets to exert a force on the rotor, causing the motor to turn and deliver a mechanical output.
To generate electricity, there must be relative motion between a magnet and a conductor, usually a coil of wire. This can be achieved by moving a magnet through a coil of wire or rotating a coil within a magnetic field.
Dennis Siegel of the University of Arts Bremen has built an electromagnetic harvester that recharges an AA battery by absorbing ambient electromagnetic radiation from the environment. Siegel's harvester can gather electricity from sources such as power lines, coffee machines, refrigerators, and even smartphone emissions. The efficiency of wireless charging depends on the range and orientation of the transmitter and the coil's tuning to the transmitter's frequency.
To avoid picking up stray voltages, a "quiet" ground is necessary when harvesting electromagnetic energy. A better ground connection can be obtained by hammering a bare metal curtain rod into the earth and attaching a clip lead.
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Frequently asked questions
An earth battery is a pair of electrodes made of two dissimilar metals, such as iron and copper, which are buried in the soil or immersed in the sea.
The plates, one copper and the other iron or carbon, are connected above ground by a wire with minimal resistance. The current produced is highest when the two metals are most widely separated in the electropotential series, and when the material nearer the positive end is to the north, and the negative end is to the south.
One of the earliest examples of an earth battery was built by Alexander Bain in 1841. Bain buried plates of zinc and copper in the ground about one meter apart and used the resulting voltage, about one volt, to operate a clock.
SEFE (named after the meteorological phenomenon St. Elmo's Fire) involves attaching an automotive spark plug to the end of a wire at ground level, then attaching an automotive coil to the spark plug, so it fires off into the automotive coil. The coil will lower the voltage and raise the amps, and this electricity will pulse into a battery each time the spark plug fires.
Researchers have found a way to harvest energy from the Earth by turning excess infrared radiation and waste heat into electricity using quantum tunnelling. This involves using a specially designed antenna that can detect waste or infrared heat as high-frequency electromagnetic waves, transforming these quadrillionth-of-a-second wave signals into a direct charge.
