SMART THINKING

New green technology has significant implications for the future of renewable energy and could help mitigate climate change.

New green technology has significant implications for renewable energy and could help mitigate climate change.

Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a device called Air-gen (short for air-powered generator) that uses a natural protein to create electricity from moisture in the air. Electrical engineer Jun Yao and microbiologist Derek Lovley at UMass Amherst are behind the invention, and Yao says of the new innovation that “We are literally making electricity out of thin air.” The new green technology uses electrically conductive protein nanowires produced by the microbe Geobacter. Lovley discovered the Geobacter microbe in the mud of the Potomac River more than 30 years ago. His lab later discovered its ability to produce electrically conductive protein nanowires. The Air-gen connects electrodes to the protein nanowires in such a way that electrical current is generated from the water vapour naturally present in the atmosphere. The new technology is non polluting, renewable and low cost. It can generate power even in areas with extremely low humidity such as the Sahara Desert. It has significant advantages over other forms of renewable energy including solar and wind, Lovley says, because unlike these other renewable energy sources, the Air-gen does not require sunlight or wind, and “it even works indoors.” The Air-gen device requires only a thin film of protein nanowires fewer than 10 microns thick. The bottom of the film rests on an electrode, while a smaller electrode that covers only part of the nanowire film sits on top. The film absorbs water vapour from the atmosphere. A combination of the electrical conductivity and surface chemistry of the protein nanowires, coupled with the fine pores between the nanowires within the film, establishes the conditions that generate an electrical current between the two electrodes. The researchers say that the current generation of Air-gen devices are able to power small electronics, and they expect to bring the invention to commercial scale soon. Next steps they plan include developing a small Air-gen ‘patch’ that can power electronic wearables such as health and fitness monitors and smart watches, which would eliminate the requirement for traditional batteries. They also hope to develop Air-gens to apply to cell phones to eliminate periodic charging. Yao says, “The ultimate goal is to make large-scale systems. For example, the technology might be incorporated into wall paint that could help power your home.”

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