Startup Develops Lamp That Runs on Salt Water
Startup SALt, founded by brother and sister duo Raphael and Aisa Mijeno, have developed, and are now beginning to manufacture, a “sustainable and cost effective ecologically designed lamp powered” by salt water.
The goal of SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting) is to eliminate the cost for areas of the Philippines that do not have access to electricity and are dependent on kerosene and battery powered lamps and candles for lighting. Using one glass of water and two tablespoons of salt – or ocean water, something that is quite abundant in the Philippines which consist of over 7,000 islands – will fuel the lamps for 8 hours a day every day for 6 months. The lamp uses a galvanic cell battery, where two electrodes are placed within the saltwater solution. The lamp also allows users to charge smartphones with USB cables. Making use of an abundant resource and reducing emmisions from kerosene and batteries has a significant environmental impact. Bringing accesible light to remote areas can also improve the quality of life for people, or help out when power is lost durning a storm.
While the lamps aren’t currently in production, they can be pre-ordered through the website.