Researchers at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University have created a groundbreaking energy generator that harnesses plant transpiration to produce electricity. This innovative hydrovoltaic method utilizes the natural process of water movement within plants, potentially transforming leaves into a sustainable and continuous power source.
The team demonstrated their prototype using a lotus leaf to power small devices, suggesting the feasibility of plant-powered electricity networks. They highlighted that this research uncovers a novel hydrovoltaic effect and opens new avenues for advancing green energy technologies.
Unlike traditional hydrovoltaic systems, which rely on constant water sources, this method taps into the latent energy of transpiration—where water travels from roots to leaves and evaporates. The researchers estimate that harnessing this energy globally could yield 67.5 terawatt-hours of electricity annually.
The transpiration generator, known as the lotus leaf transpiration generator (LTG), employs a titanium mesh electrode as the cathode on the leaf’s surface and a titanium needle electrode inserted into the leaf stalk as the anode. As transpiration occurs, a water potential gradient creates an electrical potential difference, allowing for continuous power generation, especially in sunny conditions.
This approach offers significant advantages over conventional hydrovoltaic systems, including lower costs, simplified equipment, and no dependence on large water bodies, making it suitable for remote areas such as farmland.
The research team emphasizes the potential for forming distributed power networks by connecting multiple plants, which could enhance overall energy output. Future developments aim to improve power generation efficiency, optimize energy collection, and explore integration with other renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
While still in the early stages, the findings demonstrate the broader applicability of plant-based transpiration-induced power generation, with implications for smart grids and IoT applications. The research details were published in the journal Nature.
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