Discarded Laptop Batteries Could Power Slums, Claims IBM
Ashley Allen / 10 years ago
An IBM study has determined that old laptop batteries could be used to power slums. 70% of discarded batteries were able to hold enough charge to power an LED light for four hours a day over a whole year, an Indian IBM team has shown.
The idea was trialled in Bangalore earlier this year, and is seen as a positive step in recycling the growing quantity of ‘e-waste’. Many towns in deprived areas either have no access to electricity, due to not being connected to an electrical grid, or are too poor to afford it. Laptop batteries offer a cheap, portable, and environmentally friendly alternative.
The IBM team in India developed UrJar, an electrical hub powered by lithium-ion cells from old batteries.
IBM said, “UrJar has the potential to channel e-waste towards the alleviation of energy poverty, thus simultaneously providing a sustainable solution for both problems.”
One UrJar unit would be priced at 600 rupees (£7). IBM hopes to further develop the system after positive feedback from the initial trial.
Source: BBC
