Stranded Assets

50 million used laptop batteries are discarded every year. The thing is, researchers have found that not only do roughly 70% of these batteries still provide a source of power, they could power an LED light for up to 4 hours a day for a whole year. The technology exists to combine solar panels with an LED light source, and by repurposing these laptop batteries, they can replace what is the most costly component of the existing technology. The IBM group, alongside a hardware R&D firm called RadioStudio, are harvesting working cells. Testing them, and combining them to create new packs. After some tweaks, (adding measures to prevent overheating), they tested the result with five users in Bangalore. More than 400 million people lack grid-connected electricity in India alone, and IBM says they are willing to offer this new technology at no cost. There is huge opportunity here to change lives, and keep hazardous technological waste out of our landfills. Follow this link for more info.

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