Project Description
Energy Ink™ is a renewable energy technology that generates electrical energy from moisture in the air.
The Technology
Energy Ink™ Renewable Energy
Energy Ink™ cells generate energy from moisture in the air to potentially directly power a device or provide energy for battery storage. Energy Ink™ differs from other renewable energy technologies in key areas:
- Potential to regulate its energy source (moisture) within a dedicated unit, workable indoors/outdoors, day or night, which may improve versatility and consistency of supply.
- Energy generation from moisture enables cells to be stacked vertically, offering higher output in less space, unlike solar, which needs to be horizontally laid out.
- Super lightweight and thin layers made from environment-friendly, non-flammable materials enhance the potential for mobility, recyclability and safety.
Collaboration
Australian Advanced Materials (AAM) (100% owned) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have worked together on printed electronics over many years and were awarded a prestigious Australian Research Council Linkage Grant to progress moisture as an energy source for wearables.
Development
The Energy Ink™ is still the first of its kind to demonstrate the potential to power small devices by powering a commercial skin patch and associated sensor/Bluetooth.
There has been a preconception that moisture is only suitable for small devices. However, the Energy Ink™ was successfully re-engineered to achieve a significant 1000-fold increase in power density in under 12 months. This achievement challenges the conventional notion that moisture is limited to powering small devices.