Tree Power - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

adaminc · 5th July 2006, 06:53 PM

I saw this on tv a few days ago, but apparently, tree's generate power, MIT is looking into how, but the preliminary hypothesis is because there is constantly moving sap, it generates a potentional between the tree and ground, so by putting a nail in the tree and a nail in the ground, you can measure a potential, its very small, but if you had a massive forest, you could probably pull a lot of power, lol.

here's a link I just found on the subject.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006..._power_p_1.php

**Nigel Goodwin** · 5th July 2006, 07:03 PM

Yes, trees generate power - you chop them down and burn them!

Hero999 · 5th July 2006, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by one of the comments

PS -

If you read MagCap's actual press release, you will see on page 4 a description of the "invention".

"Simply drive an aluminum roofing nail through the bark and into the wood of a tree – any tree – approximately one half inch; drive a copper water pipe six or seven inches into the ground, then get a standard off-the-shelf digital volt meter and attach one probe to the pipe, the other to the nail and you’ll get a reading of anywhere from 0.8 to 1.2 volts of DC power.”

This was "dirty" power, so they rigged up a series of three capacitors in order to smooth out the current draw. With this arrangement, they got out approximately 2 volts of current.

Interesting number, "2 volts". The electric potential of reducing copper (the pipe) is +.34 volts, while the electric potential of oxidizing aluminum is -1.66 volts. Do a little math on the differential: (.34v) - (-1.66v) = 2 volts. Fancy that!

Believe me, if "tapping" the electrical potential of non-animal life forms (that's how MagCap puts it) was as simple as driving a nail into a tree and tying it off to a copper tube, we'd have been powering Atlanta that way for the past 100 years. Read the press release yourself - it's full of crackpottery.

Even if you drank the kool-aid and believed you were actually drawing down electrical energy from the plant, rather than from the nail, wouldn't this be harmful to the plant? Presumably, that electrical current would be there for a purpose (as are the human body's various weak electrical currents, which are used to do non-trivial things like keeping our hearts beating). Also, some process would have to be in place to generate that electricity - presumably some sort of solar power conversion. Considering that most of that solar energy is going into keeping the plant alive and growing via photosynthesis, it stretches the imagination that it would have a whole bunch of "leftover" energy that it would turn into electricity just so we could harvest it. What evolutionary pressure was working on trees to push them into being stationary electrical generators?

There really is nothing to see here, folks.

I agree, this makes sense to me, no invention here, just one big tree battery!

Wow there are some uber nubes working for that company.

6th July 2006, 12:22 AM

You can also get a voltage difference from the tops of hills to their base, I have seen a 100v difference between earth voltages over 4Km difference but not much current.

Arctic Fox · 6th July 2006, 07:31 AM

Isn't this the same as the lemon/tomato/potato(e) batteries?

akg · 6th July 2006, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Isn't this the same as the lemon/tomato/potato(e) batteries?

Yes Excatly

Arctic Fox · 8th July 2006, 07:59 AM

Now, being a tree-hugger myself, I wonder if the nail would have any ill effects for the tree...

Nope, after re-reading the whole page, I wouldn't feel right killing a tree just to illuminate a LED.

Someone Electro · 8th July 2006, 07:38 PM

You will put in more energy when hamering that nail in it.

HarveyH42 · 8th July 2006, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Now, being a tree-hugger myself, I wonder if the nail would have any ill effects for the tree...

Nope, after re-reading the whole page, I wouldn't feel right killing a tree just to illuminate a LED.

Didn't tree-buggers use to drive iron spikes into trees, to bugger up chainsaws, hoping to keep the timber industry out of some areas?

Oznog · 8th July 2006, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Isn't this the same as the lemon/tomato/potato(e) batteries?

A potato/lemon/etc battery is a fraud in that it does not derive the energy from that item at all. The dissimilar metal electrodes (carbon & zinc for example) provide the energy and are consumed as the battery is used. The food item only becomes the electrolyte. Any acid or even salt water can serve the same purpose. It's not the source of energy any more than the wires connecting this device to the load are.

Arctic Fox · 9th July 2006, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Someone Electro

You will put in more energy when hamering that nail in it.

At this age, all my energy needs to be conserved!

HarveyH42: Yes we did - it's a "sacrifice one for the many" situation.

Oznog: Then you're also saying that a battery is not a source of energy. (and you might want to look up the word: fraud)

Hero999 · 9th July 2006, 10:35 AM

Wow are you really 98?

HiTech · 10th July 2006, 07:36 PM

Well, the lumber industry won't be too happy in replacing expensive blades from nails stuck in wood, nor the blemishes from those nails!! That doesn't even address the issue of injuries from chainsaw kickback if it hits a nail. Like Nigel states, chop 'em down and burn them... stored solar energy that's finally released!!

bigkim100 · 11th July 2006, 02:53 AM

So I guess we better stop cutting down all the forests then

usmankhan · 11th July 2006, 09:30 AM

Hello,
I have an aircraft receiver if anyone have need i can help .
Your Friend
Usman Khan

5th July 2006, 06:53 PM	(permalink)
adaminc Experienced Member	Tree Power I saw this on tv a few days ago, but apparently, tree's generate power, MIT is looking into how, but the preliminary hypothesis is because there is constantly moving sap, it generates a potentional between the tree and ground, so by putting a nail in the tree and a nail in the ground, you can measure a potential, its very small, but if you had a massive forest, you could probably pull a lot of power, lol. here's a link I just found on the subject. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006..._power_p_1.php

5th July 2006, 07:03 PM	(permalink)
Nigel Goodwin Super Moderator	Yes, trees generate power - you chop them down and burn them! __________________ PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials at: http://www.winpicprog.co.uk

8th July 2006, 07:59 AM	(permalink)
Arctic Fox Banned	Now, being a tree-hugger myself, I wonder if the nail would have any ill effects for the tree... Nope, after re-reading the whole page, I wouldn't feel right killing a tree just to illuminate a LED. Last edited by Arctic Fox; 8th July 2006 at 08:02 AM.

8th July 2006, 07:38 PM	(permalink)
Someone Electro Experienced Member	You will put in more energy when hamering that nail in it. __________________ Il give you shocking experience.

9th July 2006, 10:35 AM	(permalink)
Hero999 Experienced Member	Wow are you really 98? __________________ What's so bad about Microsoft? Get Opera it's simply a superb browser.

6th July 2006, 12:22 AM	(permalink)
Paul Obrien Guest	You can also get a voltage difference from the tops of hills to their base, I have seen a 100v difference between earth voltages over 4Km difference but not much current.

6th July 2006, 07:31 AM	(permalink)
Arctic Fox Banned	Isn't this the same as the lemon/tomato/potato(e) batteries?

10th July 2006, 07:36 PM	(permalink)
HiTech Experienced Member	Well, the lumber industry won't be too happy in replacing expensive blades from nails stuck in wood, nor the blemishes from those nails!! That doesn't even address the issue of injuries from chainsaw kickback if it hits a nail. Like Nigel states, chop 'em down and burn them... stored solar energy that's finally released!! __________________ Don't make me reach through this monitor to slap you a good one!

11th July 2006, 02:53 AM	(permalink)
bigkim100 Experienced Member	Oh Brother... So I guess we better stop cutting down all the forests then

11th July 2006, 09:30 AM	(permalink)
usmankhan New Member	Hello, I have an aircraft receiver if anyone have need i can help . Your Friend Usman Khan

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