
Source: Pixabay/Pexels

Scientists Discover Water Evaporation Is Key Green Energy Source


Evaporation could soon join our growing list of renewable energy sources. And in no small way: In fact, new research from Columbia University suggests that energy generated from water evaporation could power a large portion of the United States. If proven to work on such a large scale, it could be a natural alternative that can we can count on any time of the day. That's right: Unlike the weather-related concerns many have with solar power, harvesting energy from water evaporation won't necessarily be damped by cloudy days.

Based on lab data, Columbia University’s scientists believe that a capacity of 325 gigawatts are sitting in America’s lakes and reservoirs right now in the form of evaporation. For perspective, that’s enough power to give 70 percent of the continental US electricity. They’ve been able to develop an engine that controls humidity with a shutter that opens and closes. This makes bacterial spores bigger and smaller, and contractions can power a generator that creates the electricity.