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IPFS News Link • Science, Medicine and Technology

Electricity Harvested From Trees

• LiveScience

Researchers have figured out a way to plug into the power generated by trees.

Scientists have known for some time that plants can conduct electricity. In fact, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that plants can pack up to 200 millivolts of electrical power. 
 
While “tree power” isn’t as practical as, say, solar energy, he thinks the system could be scaled-up as a low-cost option for powering tree sensors that help detect environmental conditions or forest fires. Using the electronic output to keep track of a tree's health is another possibility.