THE GND IS TOO CONSERVATIVE:

As it rains, or when the ground is irrigated, nutrients and microorganisms leach from the soil into the new biological battery. Inside the battery, microorganisms feeding on organic matter produce protons and electrons, sending electrons to the anode and protons to the cathode. Air coming through holes in the exposed part of the panel provides oxygen. The process produces a current that can power lights or sensors--and eventually, if scaled up, could potentially power an entire house.

There are several advantages, Vidarte says. "You have an energy source that's producing electricity during daytime and nighttime," he says. "So it's 24-7 production of energy. It doesn't matter if it's raining or snowing, it will produce the same amount of energy." Unlike a large solar farm that might displace nature--as in South Korea, where 2 million trees have been cut down in recent years to make room for solar panels--the biological panels can work without impacting plants growing in a field. The technology uses materials that are more abundant than those used in solar panels, so when mass-manufactured, it could potentially compete on price, though the startup is only beginning to collect data about how much energy the panels can generate.

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