An Experimental Study in Generating Electricity Using Earth Battery System for Street lightings

This study aims to generate electrical energy using the earth battery system as an alternative power source and charge a 12-volt lead acid battery that powers two 9-watt streetlights. The earth battery system involves loam soil and sewage water as the medium for generating electrical energy. The selection of loam soil is due to its capability to hold plenty of moisture and well-draining type of soil. Copper and zinc metals are used to conduct electricity, and the consideration of the arrangement of the cells within the system was taken to achieve the maximum voltage output value. The prototype consisted of 36 earth battery cells which were arranged in series, and the use of water with dissolved salt to increase the efficiency of each cell was considered. Multiple testing was conducted to each cell which resulted in generating electrical energy from 0.3 volts up to 0.8 volts, and by interconnecting it all together, the system gathered a total of 26 volts equivalent to 96 watts which can power up to ten streetlights. This experimental study is very inspiring and portrays the feasibility of the earth battery system as an alternative source of electricity in an environment where supply of electricity is lacking.