Plant Power

An incredible technology that turns a plant pot into a natural plug point has been unveiled.

20:39 13 April 2016

Horticultural hackers were successful in turning a plant pot into a continuous source of energy that can charge up mobile phones. 

 

The three university students from Andalusia in the south of Spain hijack’s the plant’s natural photosynthesis mechanism to create a “biological battery.” Their invention features a USB adapter that lets mobile phones channel the energy in the soil. 

 

Pablo Manuel Vidarte, who ddesigned the gizmo alongside his partners Rafael Rebollo and Javier Rodríguez, said: "It’s as simple as installing one of our panels, putting soil on top and planting a plant.”

"A square metre can produce between 3 to 40 watts depending on the type and size of the plant."

 

"We have used our prototypes until now to charge a mobile phone and now we are planning to sell them in a crowdfunding campaign.

 

"Our aim is not to raise a lot of money, now we just want the validation of a real market."

The young entrepreneurs believe that their invention has huge implications as it offers the world a natural and clean way to harness power.