Singapore’s street lights could one day be powered by electricity generated by wastewater sludge.
The system that could make this possible was developed by two Nanyang Technological University undergraduates.
Called BAE – which stands for Biomass from Activated Sludge to Electricity – it has earned the pair a top spot in a national competition.
Mechanical engineering and economics student Charlene Lim, 22, and chemical engineering and economics student Chan Hao Yang, 24, submitted BAE to the annual Go Green in the City competition, held by multinational electrical equipment company Schneider Electric.
BAE harnesses existing microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology, which mimics natural bacterial processes to drive an electric current.
MFCs were first used as power supplies in 2007 and have been tested in rural settings such as African refugee camps, where urine was converted into electricity by an MFC system, Pee Power.
“The BAE units, which contain MFCs that have been scaled up and adapted for urban wastewater pipes, are able to retain 65% of the energy produced by the activated sludge for use as electricity,” said Charlene and Hao Yang.
BAE also uses technology to integrate with Singapore’s wastewater management ecosystem.
The duo beat 42 other Singaporean teams to get the chance to be mentored by Schneider regional application centre leader Aditya Kumar, and will compete in a regional final at the end of this month.
If they win, the pair will pitch their innovation in the grand finale at the Schneider Electric Global Innovation Summit in Barcelona, Spain, in October.
But, regardless of competition outcomes, their project stands a chance of becoming reality.
Read more here.
Source: The Straits Times, 17 August 2019