Soon you may be able to charge your cell phone using energy from a plant. Arkyne Technologies, a company in Spain, has created a high-tech planter, called Bioo Lite. It harnesses the power of photosynthesis—the process plants use to make food—
to generate electricity.
During photosynthesis, plants convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into organic compounds such as the sugar glucose. A plant’s roots release some of these compounds. Bacteria in the base of the pot break them down, releasing
a flow of charged particles called electrons into
tiny wires. That electrical energy can be used to charge a phone.
Arkyne says its “biological battery” can hold enough electricity for up to three full cell phone charges per day. The system is designed to work with any leafy green plant—all the owner has to do is provide water and access to sunlight. The company expects to ship its first Bioo Lite planters to customers by the end of the year.