Researchers working at the UK-based Bristol Robotics Laboratory, renewable energy took the concept to a whole new level. The research team, which developed a clean energy fuel cell that can convert human waste into electricity, joined the project. “Pee Power” gives its name.
The system, which can be used to charge smartphones, is also aimed at meeting the electricity needs of homes one day.
Toilet designed to turn feces into virtual money
Environmental engineer Cho Jae-weon designed a toilet that produces green energy. It also makes shopping with virtual money in return for those who use the toilet.
300 W/h electricity was produced from the urine of 5 people
The Pee Power project was screened at the Glastonbury festival in England two years ago. Within the scope of the festival, the total urine of the people who pee in the designated urinal for 5 days. 300 W/h electricity produced. Working at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, Dr. Loannis Leropoulos stated the following in his statement on the subject:
“The urine of people who come to the urinal for five days, Enabled us to produce 300 Watt/hour electricity. In other words; We had the opportunity to operate a single-watt light bulb for 300 hours and 10 light bulbs for 30 hours.”
In the project, which works with a battery-like block system called microbial fuel cells, the blocks are filled with colonies of small creatures called microbes. These microbes break down substances in the urine chemically and multiply, so they can generate small amounts of electricity.
Apart from charging the phone, it is aimed that the system will produce enough energy to meet the electricity needs of an entire house. According to the shared information, a person produces an average of 2-2.5 liters of liquid stool per day. This means plenty of energy resources, considering the totality of family members. Dr. Loannis Leropoulos shared his analysis:
“For example, in a house with five people, 10 to 12 liters of urine would be produced. That would be enough for a scaled-down microbial fuel cell system to continuously supply electricity.”
Previously, the project that turned excrement into virtual money was also developed.
The idea of ’utilizing’ human waste is not limited to the Pee Power project. The toilet, designed by an environmental engineer in South Korea green energy with human feces can produce. Every use of the toilet comes back as a book or coffee. The system created by engineer Cho, who developed a virtual currency called Ggool, is the result of defecation. It gives the person 10 Ggool coins. You can buy any product you want on the campus where the money passes.