For years, we have been drilling corners of the Earth in search of resources like fossil fuels for our own consumption leading to an uncontrolled emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. As a result, environmentally damaging incidence such as acid rains and the increase in Earth’s average temperature.

These are unsustainable ways of producing electricity in the long run because such resources are limited and they are quickly depleting. Although many alternatives and renewable methods of generating are out there in the market including  solar power, hydro power (e.g. using the power of water dams) and wind energy, there are other possible quirky ways that we can harvest electricity.

Be it Singapore or any other nations out there, the following are possible innovative ways to generate electricity –  that will decrease the dependency on non-renewable sources of energy.

Utilising Human Heat

As amusing as it sounds, it’s true. The human heat can actually be used to generate electricity! The large amount of heat trapped in a crowded place like, for example an underground train network, can be converted into electricity. The heat generated from the passenger’s bodies as well as from the train itself, is converted into electric current that can be supplied to nearby houses and office buildings. The accumulation of heat from these entities has already been used by London, the Stockholm metro and a Parisian neighbourhood.

As an accompanying example of how body heat is utilised, Mall of America uses its visitor footfall to counter the sheer cold of the area’s environment. By doing as such, they save money and energy by not needing to invest in a central heating system.

Get the energy from the dance floor

Another impressive method to generate electricity is to make use of the energy from performing your killer dance moves on the dance floor or any floor surfaces containing special crystals. The kinetic energy produced by a moving body is utilised to produce piezoelectric. These special tiles can be attached to the gym or dance floors from which the kinetic energy is harvested to supply to nearby buildings and appliances. This form of energy production method is already in place in numerous nightclubs in Europe.

Jellyfish as an electricity source
Jellyfishes contain Green Fluorescent Proteins (GFP) that could be used to create small sized fuel cells to generate power. Energy is produced when these protein cells are exposed to ultraviolet lights. Therefore, think of it as a natural parallel to solar energy panels that uses organic cells over factory-manufactured material.

Do not be alarmed, this method would not harm the environment disastrously. Jellyfish populations are exponentially increasing due to ocean acidification, but humans are unable to consume them. Therefore, this is a method of preserving the ecological balance which we as humans created in the first place.

Singapore’s Role

Being a progressive country, electricity providers of Singapore have been trying hard to do their part to conserve nature and its resources. From offering carbon credits to installing solar panels, they have been actively pursuing this goal.

As Singaporeans, we can start combating climate change by switching to an energy company with green instruments.