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Green Ideas: Power Your Home With Lightning

2007_10_18-lightening-power.jpg

Now this just sounds scary. While we were aware of harvesting wind power and tidal power as alternative forms of energy, we were not aware of harvesting lightning to provide the energy for our modern day conveniences.

Well, it's not harvesting the energy in naturally occurring lightning, but rather the energy found in inentionally generated lightning. While inventor Steve Le Roy's generated lightning bolts provide enough energy to illuminate a light bulb for 20 minutes, an average Midwest thunderstorm releases enough electrical energy to power the entire U.S. for 20 minutes. As LeRoy says: "If you've ever seen a tree hit by lightning, [you know] it's energy for the taking,"

-via Inhabitat and Business Week

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If that's true, last night's storm in Chicago could have powered North America for the rest of the year...

posted by Mella DP on 2007-10-19 13:39:21
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