Colombian renewable energy start-up E-Dina has developed a cordless light that converts salt water into electricity as a more reliable alternative to solar lamps in off-grid communities.
The portable device, called WaterLight, needs to be filled with 500 millilitres of seawater ? or urine in emergency situations ? to emit up to 45 days of light.
Acting as a mini power generator, the device can also be used to charge a mobile phone or another small device via its integrated USB port.
The WaterLight features a tubular wooden case
Created in collaboration with the Colombian division of creative agency Wunderman Thompson, the project was designed as a stand-in for solar energy, which is often used to supply remote locations but which is weather-dependant. "WaterLight can be more efficient than solar energy lanterns because it regenerates instantly," said Pipe Ruiz Pineda, executive creative director of Wunderman Thompson Colombia.
"Once filled with water, the energy delivery is immediate while solar lanterns need to transform solar energy to alternative energy to charge batteries and they only work if there is sun."
The salt water-powered lamp can be used for night fishing
WaterLight works 24 hours a day through ionisation, which sees electrolytes in the saline liquid react with magnesium and copper plates on the interior of the lamp to produce electricity.
Although this is a long-established process, E-Dina has developed a way to sustain the chemical reacti...