A spin‑out from the University of Bath has developed a device called Bactery. The battery uses soil bacteria to generate and store electricity so it can power sensors and other small Internet of Things devices in agricultural fields.
The team first proved the idea in 2019 when they tested a soil‑powered water disinfection prototype in Icapuí, a village in north‑east Brazil. That pilot showed soil electricity could run a water‑cleaning device.
The company says it can scale the system and that it avoids long cables, single‑use batteries and solar panels when those are not practical. One challenge is keeping the electrodes free of oxygen, so the design uses wet, root‑submerged conditions to help electron flow.
Difficult words
- bacteria — small living things you cannot see
- generate — make electricity or energy from a source
- store — keep electricity or energy for later use
- electrode — metal parts used to pass electric currentelectrodes
- oxygen — a gas in air that living things need
- scale — increase size or amount of a system
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you like a device that uses soil power on a farm? Why or why not?
- What problems does the company say Bactery avoids?
- How does the team keep electrodes working in the soil?
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