University of Cambridge researchers have proven that a computer can run on an incredible type of battery. Developing a battery not much larger than an AA battery, researchers placed blue-green algae in a container with electrodes, and the microorganisms used sunlight to generate enough electricity to power the computer.
The research article published in the journal Energy and Environmental Science states that cyanobacteria can keep the computer running for 45 minutes and then waiting for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, the computer was not executing complex operations, it was calculating the sum of consecutive integers. It also measured the current electrical output from the battery and sent this data to the cloud. It is also stated that since August 2021, the algae battery continues to produce power.
Operating continuously for six months, the system consumed 0.3 microwatts during the calculation period and 0.24 microwatts during the idle period. How it does this, however, is not yet clear. The team thinks the most likely explanation is that cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) release electrons during the process of photosynthesis. But the power output was not affected by the lack of light, the power was stable both day and night. This may be because the algae processes some of their food even in the absence of light and therefore continues to produce an electric current.
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