WaterLight: A Portable Lamp That Uses Saltwater To Recharge
May 3, 2021 Share
According to World Health Organization data, nearly a billion people have no access to electricity. That means 14% of the global population has no light for half of the day, stopping people from working. To solve this problem, two companies developed a light that can recharge without relying on a power grid.
WaterLight is a portable, low-cost LED lamp that uses saltwater to recharge its batteries. It was designed for communities with little to no electricity access. The innovative device doesn’t require a power outlet to charge because it uses a water-activated magnesium battery that causes a reaction when in contact with brine (salty water). Ocean water, plain water with salt added, or even urine can be used in emergency cases when the first two are not available.
Dezeen article explains. And it can also be charged by urine in emergency situations.
The portable device acts as a mini generator that produces light using ionization by filling it with 500 milliliters of seawater, the salt in the water reacts with magnesium and copper plates inside the device, converting it into electrical energy.
The device emits up to 45 days of light and can also be used to charge a mobile phone or another small electrical device via a USB port.
The WaterLight allows communities to continue to work in the dark. Source: E-Dina WaterLight
The WaterLight was created as part of a collaboration between E-Dina and creative agency Wunderman Thompson, which saw that locals in rural parts of Colombia specifically, the indigenous Wayúu tribe were struggling to keep the lights on at night.
WaterLight is a portable lantern that can be charged with salt water or urine
Colombian renewable energy start-up E-Dina has developed a cordless light that converts salt water into electricity as a more reliable alternative to solar lamps in off-grid communities.
The portable device, called WaterLight, needs to be filled with 500 millilitres of seawater – or urine in emergency situations – to emit up to 45 days of light.
Acting as a mini power generator, the device can also be used to charge a mobile phone or another small device via its integrated USB port.
The WaterLight features a tubular wooden case
Created in collaboration with the Colombian division of creative agency Wunderman Thompson, the project was designed as a stand-in for solar energy, which is often used to supply remote locations but which is weather-dependant.
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Clean energy innovation from E-Dina set to light up communities lacking electricity across the world
Colombian renewable energy start-up E-Dina and WPP’s Wunderman Thompson Colombia have today launched WaterLight, a revolutionary device which turns a simple natural resource – salt water – into life-changing electrical power. The pioneering product was developed in response to a set of sobering statistics: despite progress on global energy targets, the World Health Organization reports that 840 million people are currently without access to electricity, hindering their ability to work beyond daylight hours, carry out essential tasks and stay connected to the wider world. With electricity demand expected to increase by 70% by 2035, and traditional fossil fuels estimated to be depleted in the next 52 years, this innovative new solution is urgently needed.