Will artificial trees be the next power plants?
Date
Authors
Major Professor
Advisor
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Authors
Research Projects
Organizational Units
The Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology seeks to teach subcellular and cellular processes, genome dynamics, cell structure and function, and molecular mechanisms of development, in so doing offering a Major in Biology and a Major in Genetics.
History
The Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology was founded in 2005.
Related Units
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (parent college)
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (parent college)
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
Department
Abstract
Wind power is an important source of renewable energy, but some people are concerned that conventional wind turbines are too loud and too hazardous for birds and bats. We wanted to create a new kind of wind energy harvesting machine based on the jiggling motion of cottonwood tree leaves in the wind, which would be quieter and safer for wildlife.
After building and testing artificial cottonwood leaves that moved and created electricity in the wind, we found that they didn’t produce enough energy to feasibly use for electricity production. We also tried building a cattail-like device to generate electricity when it swayed in the wind, but it also didn’t produce enough energy to make it reasonable to use.
Though our research showed that artificial plants’ jiggling or swaying isn’t likely to be a cost-effective way to produce electricity, we think it could be fruitful to look into other plant-inspired designs for harvesting wind energy. We also are testing a previously unexploited biological material known to convert mechanical to electrical energy far more effectively than the ones used today.
Comments
This article is published as McCloskey M. A., Mosher, C. L., Henderson, E. R. (2017) Will Artificial Trees be the Next Power Plants? Science Journal for Kids and Teens (Environmental Science Journal for Teens). https://sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/will-artificial-trees-be-the-next-power-plants/.