A team of researchers based at the University of the West of England in Bristol has developed a method for turning human pee into electricity.
Urine is basically chemicals in a solution, so if those chemicals can be properly used, it can be a fuel like any other. The Bristol team uses a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) system, which uses microorganisms found in urine to create energy as part of their metabolism.
To field test the process, the team installed a special urinal on their campus, and later another at the Glastonbury music festival.
In both tests, the MFC system generated enough power to keep the inside of shops lit with LED light fixtures.
For the moment, the process generates only enough electricity to recharge smartphones or lithium batteries. Who knows what the team may accomplish in the future ….. Pee powered cars?!
Metabolism
Metabolism is such a big word to explain a simple idea. We all need energy to survive. Whether we are plants, animals, or bacteria, we all need energy. Energy doesn’t just float around in a form we can use to survive. We need to eat and digest food. That process of chemical digestion and its related reactions is called metabolism. Metabolism is the total of all the chemical reactions an organism needs to survive.
