Tapping Trees for Electricity?

Tapping Trees for Electricity? 392

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:21PM from the dc-tree dept.

dr_agonfly writes "Despite many skeptics, a Massachusetts company is getting investor interest in developing a process to tap electric power from trees. MagCap is looking to boost the current power from just under 2 volts to a more useful 12 volts with investor funding." From the article: "Jim Manwell, director of the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Renewable Energy Resource Laboratory, questioned the potential of MagCap's plans. 'I'm wildly skeptical,' he said. 'I would need to see proof before I believed it. It strikes me as pretty questionable for a number of reasons.'"

Tapping Trees for Electricity?

This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Search 392 Comments Log In/Create an Account

Comments Filter:

Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

by TripMaster Monkey ( 862126 ) * writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:22PM (#14449493)
- Imagne how much power a beowulf cluster of these trees will deliver!
- In Soviet Russia, trees plug into YOU!
- In Korea, only old trees produce electricity.
- I, for one, welcome our electric tree overlords.
- ...but will the trees run Linux?
- All your trees are belong to us.
Could we see this is the future? (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:24PM (#14449517)

Broadband over electric trees?

Watch out, world... (Score:5, Funny)

by lpangelrob ( 714473 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:24PM (#14449523)

...we'll be living like the ewoks [swgalaxies.net] in no time!
On second thought, I don't think they have electricity in those dens. We'll be living better than ewoks!

watch for the payback (Score:3, Funny)

by ChipMonk ( 711367 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:26PM (#14449536) Journal

Ever seen "The Matrix"? What goes around, comes around.

How does it work? (Score:3, Funny)

by OakDragon ( 885217 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:26PM (#14449537) Journal

The article doesn't do much to explain the process. Maybe this is it:

Wadle became interested in the concept while studying lightning coming from the ground, "which led him to believe that there's some type of power emanating from earth, which led him to trees," Lagadinos said.

Ah, I see. Trees produce lightning. But surely that would be more than 2 volts?

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:26PM (#14449540)

You forgot the most obvious one:

Comes with Sony Rootkit(TM) pre-installed !

Re:Could we see this is the future? (Score:5, Funny)

by robyannetta ( 820243 ) * writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:27PM (#14449549) Homepage

Broadband over electric trees?
Yes, but they won't be running TCP/IP. They're be running Banyan Vines.
[ducks]

Well (Score:5, Funny)

by FidelCatsro ( 861135 ) * writes: <fidelcatsro&gmail,com> on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:27PM (#14449550) Journal

Now that's what I call Flower Power

Exactly like the Matrix... (Score:2, Funny)

by cytoman ( 792326 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:27PM (#14449554)

...except that there will be trees instead of humans!!! I love it! Also, no need to develop a VR world to keep trees happy and growing :-)!

I hope this works out... (Score:5, Funny)

by MagicDude ( 727944 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:29PM (#14449575)

I pine for the day that this kind of energy production becomes poplar.

Re:watch for the payback (Score:4, Funny)

by HunterZ ( 20035 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:36PM (#14449651) Journal

So the bad guys in The Matrix were actually pissed off trees? I think you're confusing it with Lord of the Rings ;)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

by merreborn ( 853723 ) * writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:39PM (#14449670) Journal

Ironically, the "Let's get the cliches out of the way" post has become a cliche.

Re:I hope this works out... (Score:3, Funny)

by DoctaWatson ( 38667 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:42PM (#14449703)

Let's just hope he's not barking up the wrong tree.

I wooden want this to fail, but who am I to birch if it does?

Tapping Investors (Score:3, Funny)

by Quirk ( 36086 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:42PM (#14449710) Homepage Journal

MagCap is looking to boost the current power from just under 2 volts to a more useful 12 volts with investor funding ."
What's being tapped here are reckless investors. Personally I'm sticking with cold fusion.

Nah.... (Score:2, Funny)

by ackthpt ( 218170 ) * writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:43PM (#14449719) Homepage Journal

Watch out, world ... we'll be living like the ewoks in no time!
Nah!
Tapping the trees for current will turn them into Triffids and they'll gobble us all up. Don't bother trying to climb a tree to get away from them, either.
at least they're not trying use them for cellular phone, they'll try to impress their own ring-tones on us

series-connecting (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:44PM (#14449722)

Well, he could plant six of the trees in pods pods and align them in a straight row.

Boffins even have a fancy name for this, the call it "series-connecting".

However, what said boffins never understood is that you will have also have to align at 90 to an "earth power ray", otherwise the flow of juice will be too small to be useful.

Also, you will have to make sure they are far enough apart so they don't short out each other when they grow.

I bet this guy company spent a couple of thousand man hours figuring this out experimentally, so they will beat the upstart competition with the giant pumpkins to the market.

Just imagine the millions that will flow in licensing fees if the government starts to put groups of six trees along the strets in the suburbs so you can jumpstart your car on cold winter mornings.

So make sure to sell your property unless it lies on a street that is oriented at 90 to the "earth power rays".

Re:The guy made an electrochemical cell ("battery" (Score:2, Funny)

by kfg ( 145172 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:45PM (#14449736)

Well, yes, but how are you going to raise millions in "investment" capital by pointing that out?

"In my 25 years of practicing patent law, I've never seen anything like this."

Ah, well, if a lawyer hasn't seen anything like it it must be a revolution in chemistry.

KFG

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:53PM (#14449799)

Ironically, the "Let's get the cliches out of the way" post has become a cliche.

And in time, so will pointing it out.

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

by biocute ( 936687 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @06:57PM (#14449822)

Am I showing my age if I add:

"Trees? I live in a desert you insensitive clod!"

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

by thegoofy ( 301855 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:01PM (#14449857)

Thanks for taking all the +5 funny mods you ash...

I can see the headlines now... "Tree's Providing Power! Elm at 11"

This is serious business, it's nothing to Oak about...

Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "Root access"

I bet the investors will feel like Saps if it fails...

Whooo yeah! Tap dat ash! (Score:4, Funny)

by erroneus ( 253617 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:03PM (#14449871) Homepage

Sorry, couldn't help myself...

Re:Long way to go yet... (Score:5, Funny)

by winkydink ( 650484 ) * writes: <sv.dude@gmail.com> on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:05PM (#14449882) Homepage Journal

so we can all walk around with extension cords hanging off our arms?

That's not where they'll put the cord.

Power From Trees ?? (Score:2, Funny)

by evil_morg ( 801390 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:12PM (#14449923)

is that what they call 'green' power?

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

by Meumeu ( 848638 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:19PM (#14449963)

And the cliché will still be modded +5 Funny.

Re:Long way to go yet... (Score:3, Funny)

by HotNeedleOfInquiry ( 598897 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:19PM (#14449964)

Does that mean we should research away to increase that small voltage to something larger so we can all walk around with extension cords hanging off our arms?

No, that would be limbs

Re:IPO (Score:5, Funny)

by joebok ( 457904 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:31PM (#14450051) Homepage Journal

From TFA:

Wadle became interested in the concept while studying lightning coming from the ground, "which led him to believe that there's some type of power emanating from earth, which led him to trees," Lagadinos said.

Not that that chain of reasoning inspires any confidence what-so-ever in me, the free power apparently comes from the ground, not the sky...

Unless the "trees" he is talking about only have a couple branches at the top and really long, ropey leaves that seem to go to another "tree" just like it...

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

by Splurk ( 576481 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:31PM (#14450052)

Ironically, the "Ironically, the "Let's get the cliches out of the way" post has become a cliche." post has become a cliche.

Re:Long way to go yet... (Score:3, Funny)

by xs650 ( 741277 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:33PM (#14450067)

The only power they are working on is the power to move money from investors accounts to theirs.

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:3, Funny)

by zippthorne ( 748122 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:51PM (#14450175) Journal

oddly enough, "Ironically, the 'Ironically, the "Let's get the cliches out of the way" post has become a cliche.' post has become a cliche" isn't actually ironic, unless you're an alanis fan.

coincidentally, "X isn't actually ironic" is also cliche.

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

by theguyfromsaturn ( 802938 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @07:58PM (#14450217)

Infinite loop detected. Program aborted.

Re:Could we see this is the future? (Score:5, Funny)

by ImaLamer ( 260199 ) writes: <john.lamar@gma[ ]com ['il.' in gap]> on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @08:12PM (#14450292) Homepage Journal

Ents could provide Tolkien Ring access...

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

by D4MO ( 78537 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @08:15PM (#14450308)

Not before I Fucking Kill(TM) those trees!

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

by Colin Cordner ( 920954 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @08:35PM (#14450430)

Ironically, the "Let's get the cliches out of the way" post has become a cliche.
Dude, Slashdot has gone meta-chiché!

Re:Long way to go yet... (Score:3, Funny)

by arodland ( 127775 ) writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @08:51PM (#14450509)

'Effect' is used as a noun. 'Affect' is used as a verb.

Except when 'effect' is used as a verb, or when 'affect' is used as a noun. Both are perfectly legitimate words; they just almost never mean what the writer intended :)

Prior Art (Score:0, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @09:28PM (#14450714)

Piffle! We Druids have been deriving power from trees for the
past couple of millenia.

Re:OGG! (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @10:49PM (#14451099)

But the MP Tree format is much more widely distributed than OGG, it doesn't matter if OGG samples the music better, at lower bitrates... MP Trees are all over the forest, and there all kinds of MP Tree harversters out there, such as axes, saws, chainsaws, i even hear the japanese have developed a fully robotic mp tree harvester. ogg has nothing to compare to the MP Tree format, even if it Is technically superior. It's a lot like the good old Betamax vs VHS. Betamax had more scanlines, and had less signal to noise ratio, but because it's tapes only ran 30 minutes to an hour, it couldn't compete with the largely inferior VHS format which at it's lowest quality could jam pack 6 hours of recording on a single tape (later on 8-9 hour tapes were developed)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday January 11, 2006 @11:50PM (#14451401)

Its always good to branch out and try new things.

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

by kurzweilfreak ( 829276 ) writes: <kurzweilfreak@gmAUDENail.com minus poet> on Thursday January 12, 2006 @02:15AM (#14452006) Journal

More like a Beowulf cluster of clichés.
*ducks*

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:3, Funny)

by Crayon Kid ( 700279 ) writes: on Thursday January 12, 2006 @07:13AM (#14452824)

I think the GP forgot one: giving "tree hugger" a whole new meaning...

There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.

Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

Could we see this is the future? (Score:2, Funny)

Watch out, world... (Score:5, Funny)

watch for the payback (Score:3, Funny)

How does it work? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Could we see this is the future? (Score:5, Funny)

Well (Score:5, Funny)

Exactly like the Matrix... (Score:2, Funny)

I hope this works out... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:watch for the payback (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:I hope this works out... (Score:3, Funny)

Tapping Investors (Score:3, Funny)

Nah.... (Score:2, Funny)

series-connecting (Score:1, Funny)

Re:The guy made an electrochemical cell ("battery" (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

Whooo yeah! Tap dat ash! (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Long way to go yet... (Score:5, Funny)

Power From Trees ?? (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Long way to go yet... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:IPO (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Long way to go yet... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Could we see this is the future? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Long way to go yet... (Score:3, Funny)

Prior Art (Score:0, Funny)

Re:OGG! (Score:1, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Let's just get them out of the way... (Score:3, Funny)

Related Links Top of the: day, week, month.

Slashdot Top Deals