A UK university spin‑out has built a device called Bactery that uses bacteria in soil to harvest energy and recharge itself. The inventors want to power sensors and other Internet of Things devices in agricultural fields where reliable power is hard to provide. Low‑cost, always‑on sensors can give farmers near real‑time data on soil health, crop growth and environmental conditions.
The University of Bath team first proved the concept in 2019 with a soil‑powered water disinfection prototype tested in Icapuí in semi‑arid north‑east Brazil. There the pilot used soil electricity to run an electrochemical water treatment reactor and showed the idea could work outside the lab.
Since then the company says it has found ways to scale and sustain electricity generation. The system uses soil microorganisms called electrigens that produce electrons when they consume organic matter. A technical challenge is that electrodes must be kept oxygen‑free, so the design targets wet, root‑submerged environments or semi‑engineered sites. The firm plans to refine prototypes next year and aims for small‑scale production in 2026 while seeking collaborators and investors.
Difficult words
- harvest — collect energy or resources for later use
- recharge — restore a device's battery or power level
- prototype — early model used to test an idea
- electrigen — microorganism that produces electricity from matterelectrigens
- electrochemical — involving both electricity and chemical reactions
- electrode — metal part that conducts electric currentelectrodes
- sustain — keep something going over a period
- collaborator — person or group working with otherscollaborators
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you recommend farmers use always-on soil sensors on their fields? Why or why not?
- What problems might occur if electrodes are not kept oxygen-free in this system?
- How could low-cost, near real-time sensors change how farmers manage their crops?
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