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Can Electricity From Trees Power Gadgets?

dailygalaxy.com — A new sensor system is under development that runs on electricity generated by ordinary trees!

Who dugg this? Made popular Oct 9, 2008

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46 Comments

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  • hantata, on 10/08/2008, -5/+24Shame we probably wont have any trees left when this sensor system becomes available..
  • mikbunn, on 10/08/2008, -1/+10OR we could keep cutting them down, and use the energy of falling trees to power chainsaws.
  • indyGuy, on 10/09/2008, -1/+9Can't we generate energy by BURNING trees? :P
  • socialexpert, on 10/08/2008, -2/+8Huh, that’s interesting.
    I can’t wait to read more on this when more tests are done. If it’s viable, maybe we can stop cutting so many trees down.
  • marcabminion, on 10/08/2008, -1/+6Leave the trees alone already!
  • radu79, on 10/09/2008, -0/+5That's interesting, but with a very small solar panel and a super capacitor (so you won't have to worry about the batteries degrading after a few years) you can get more than enough electricity to power small sensors and relay the information to the next relay a few times a day.
  • palehorse864, on 10/09/2008, -0/+4The first truly green energy?
  • , on 10/09/2008, -1/+5Didn't anyone see The Happening?

    ....Let's leave the trees alone.
  • sfacets, on 10/09/2008, -0/+3Well if a potato can, I guess so can a tree.
  • thebassmaster, on 10/09/2008, -0/+3great, i'll never need to charge my cellphone if i carry a tree around with me!
  • Surkit, on 10/09/2008, -0/+3I'm sorry, Bio batteries. The Matrix just called.
  • onelikeseabass, on 10/09/2008, -0/+3That's actually a pretty far fetched notion. You should check out http://www.treefarmsystem.org. Here is some text taken from their About page.

    Since 1941, ATFS has educated and recognized the commitment of private family forest landowners in the United States. Currently, ATFS has certified 24 million acres of privately owned forestland and 90,473 family forest owners who are committed to excellence in forest stewardship, in 46 states. Tree Farmers share a unique commitment to protect wildlife habitat and watersheds, to conserve soil and to provide recreation for their communities while producing wood for America. These individuals hold the key to the kinds of forests, forest activities and forest resources future generations of Americans will enjoy.

    24 million acres in 46 states. Looks like we'll still have plenty of trees around.
  • inactive, on 10/09/2008, -1/+4you mean.. suicide movie?
    yeah.
  • llbbl, on 10/09/2008, -0/+3I don't know can it?
  • FaithclubDotNet, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2You can harness electricity from trees, but how often is it going to get hit by lightning?
  • sockpuppets, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2Sure, you all laughed at me for living in a tree fort. Who gets the last laugh now bitches?
  • geoffg, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2No.
  • FaithclubDotNet, on 10/09/2008, -1/+3Exactly how are you going to harness the power of stoners?
  • scarz99, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2First sugar now trees???
  • numbnick, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2Buried for not having a punchline.
  • 147982, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2Finally I can plug my TV into a tree while camping!
  • gnimsh, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2Wow, ordinary trees huh? I can't wait to see what they can do with EXTRAordinary trees!
  • inactive, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2Geothermal, solar, wind, hydro. Come on. Trees? Are you ***** kidding me?
  • HerbMarshall420, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2How many trees do I need to plant to power my house?
  • ParanoydAndroid, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2I would imagine that since these are planned for remote locations that the builup of mud, dirt, bird crap, and general particulate matter on solar cells would drastically lower their efficiency is a relatively small amount of time compared with this power generation scheme.

    Either that or M.I.T just solved a problem that didn't exist - both are fairly likely.
  • wipis, on 10/09/2008, -0/+2"Trees could serve as “silent sentinels” along the nation's borders to detect potential threats such as smuggled radioactive materials—with the sensors powered by the trees themselves. They could also prevent forest fires, among other applications, by sending early reports to the authorities."

    Dear god the trees are watching me. I knew it was true!
  • inactive, on 10/09/2008, -0/+1First comes the lightning, then comes the fire.
  • pinchduck, on 10/09/2008, -1/+2Have you planted any today? This month? This year? If so, then great, thanks. If now, then why are you whining? Planing seedings is really very easy. You'll be outside, doing something good for the local ecology, helping to mitigate the ridiculous "no tree" scenario you are worried about. It will probably improve your outlook and disposition, too. You should give it a shot.
  • inactive, on 10/09/2008, -0/+1Only if it's a sugar tree.
  • radu79, on 10/09/2008, -0/+1Even a solar panel with some dirt on it would still produce more electricity than a tree..
  • Divector8, on 10/09/2008, -2/+3If you mean suicide for M. Night Shyamalan's career,
    yeah.
  • curiousgrge, on 10/09/2008, -0/+1If E.T. could do it 26yrs ago with just a tree branch tied to a buzz saw and fork tied to a Speak 'N Spell to phone home, why not?
  • liz85, on 10/09/2008, -0/+1Yeah, we already know that potato can power robots
  • 2oonhed, on 10/10/2008, -0/+1Can the laws of physics be changed with the sheer power of rock?
  • damoek, on 10/09/2008, -0/+1did anyone else think of Orson Scott Card when they read this headline?
  • dupeduperson, on 10/09/2008, -0/+1Is it called a wood burning steam generator? That would get electricity from trees.
  • Fatcheeseguy, on 10/09/2008, -1/+1Can I finally plug into a tree?
  • inactive, on 10/09/2008, -0/+0Um, hells no. You have a better chance of getting blood from a stone.
  • gkiltz, on 10/09/2008, -0/+0You Can do it! You have to cut down the trees and burn them, generate steam, and use the steam to actually make the electricity. The air pollution and deforestation is not worth it!
    The US, and Canada have MORE trees than they did a century ago. Given how many the desperately poor people in the Amazon basin are cutting just to stay alive, I'd as soon keep it that way. If we don't get serious about safe Nuclear power, however, I'm not optimistic that we'll be able to!!
  • slapthemonkey, on 10/09/2008, -1/+1Science is fascinating
  • bridgeyman, on 10/09/2008, -1/+1The trees will serve as "silent sentinels?" Does that sound like Narnia to anyone?
  • ViFaSEC, on 10/09/2008, -0/+0The more science moves, the greater the damage to the planet!
  • osukwm, on 10/09/2008, -1/+1ignorant, but at least Burn, Baby, Burn sounds better than Drill, Baby, Drill
  • vcrmaster1, on 10/09/2008, -1/+0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qddp8-y6T-8&feature ...
  • inactive, on 10/09/2008, -1/+0Hell yea....burn them in a steam-to-electricity generator.
  • ABNM, on 10/09/2008, -1/+0Three cheers for elec-tree-city

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