Advances in technology make our lives easier in many ways. That is, until the power goes out. Then we realize how dependent we've become on power to simply make it through what most would consider a normal day. While I could live without some power sucking devices like television and radio, I'm a big fan of reliable power for refrigeration, internet access, and toast*.
Fortunately, some
smart and creative people in the Netherlands and Norway are working on new sources creating new sources of electical power from exploding hot dogs. Well, more directly from the combination of fresh river water with salty oceans:
The new devices are based on a natural process -- when a river runs into the ocean, a huge amount of energy is unleashed because of the difference in salt concentration.
"It's basically harvesting the energy that comes free from a natural process," Wetsus managing director Johannes Boonstra said in his agency's laboratory in the Dutch town of Leeuwarden.
"You have the fuel for free and it's very sustainable -- no greenhouse gas emissions."
Congratulations to the scientists involved for their progress to date, and good luck turning your inventions into the clean and reliable sources of energy they have the potential to be.
* Yes, I could toast my bread in my gas oven or create a fire.
