Harnessing Electricity From The Air

In what could be a breakthrough experiment paving the way for capturing electricity out of thin air one day, a team of Brazilian scientists have shown that water droplets in the atmosphere pick up a charge and do not remain neutral, as was earlier believed.

Popsci reports on the experiment:

Using small particles of aluminum phosphate and silica — two particles found commonly in the atmosphere — they showed that in the presence of water vapor silica particles become more negatively charged. Aluminum phosphate grows slightly more positively charged. This building of charges in humid air can accumulate and be transferred to other objects, explaining phenomena like the charge buildup where steam escapes from boilers that had baffled scientists for centuries.

The team says their study would help in discovering ways to harness electricity right out of thin air to power buildings and to make panels that prevent lightning from striking.

Popsci: “Electricity Out of Thin Air Could Be The Next Big Power Source”