Sir,
It is heartening to read that the scientists at IIT Kharagpur have used waste onion skins to develop an inexpensive device which can generate ‘green’ electricity from body movements. (DE, Dec19, 2017). This device developed by researchers is non toxic, biodegradable and biocompatible and is based on piezoelectric properties of the onion skin which has the ability to convert energy from everyday mechanical motions into electricity.The fact that the device has an output of 18 volts and can turn on 30 green LEDs under repeated human finger touch response and that it is capable of harvesting several types of mechanical energies including body movements, wind flow and even machine vibrations, makes the device all the more useful.The researchers are hopeful that the new device had enough mechanical durability and chemical stability for realistic applications and it could be manufactured easily at a cost of less than a rupee, with the existing technologies.As a result of surging population, industrialisation and urbanisation, environmental pollution is emerging as a grave threat to mankind and sustained efforts to check it are yielding little results.Under such conditions, the development of sustainable and alternative green energy technology has become a pressing requirement in the current energy deficiency world.It is in this context that onion skin,the most abundant biowaste which is thrown in tonnes as garbage everyday across the world has assumed significance.The use of this biowaste to generate electricity which could power pacemakers, smart pills and wearable electronics,is a great breakthrough in the realm of science and the scientists who have developed the device deserve to be complimented for their great work which has far reaching importance.It is hoped that more such devices will be developed by our innovative scientists to make this planet a better and greener place to live on.
Yours etc…
Ashok Sharma
Udhampur
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