Katerina Swanson
The idea of using urine as fuel is not new. In 2009, Gerardine Botte, a scientist and professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Ohio University, developed a catalyst capable of extracting hydrogen from urine. Botte's prototype electrolyzer is small enough to be integrated into an automobile, and she believes it could power cars in the near future. In 2018, four teenage girls in Nigeria also figured out a way to use a liter of urine as fuel to generate six hours of electricity from their generator. While urine-powered cars are still in the early stages of development, they hold promise as a renewable and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
Can urine fuel a car?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is it possible? | Yes, but not commercially available yet |
| How does it work? | Through electrolysis, hydrogen is separated from urine |
| Who is working on it? | Gerardine Botte, Franco Lisci, Duro-Aina Adebola, Akindele Abiola, Faleke Oluwatoyin, Bello Eniola |
| What are the benefits? | Hydrogen-powered cars only emit water, urine is abundant and free |
| What are the drawbacks? | Electrolysis is expensive, hydrogen is difficult to distribute, urine contains phosphorus which may be more useful as fertiliser |
| Can I try it myself? | No, it won't work and you may damage your engine |
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What You'll Learn
Hydrogen as a fuel source
Hydrogen is an attractive alternative to fossil fuels for powering cars as its only emission is water. However, a major problem with this approach is the lack of a cheap, renewable source of hydrogen.
Urine, the most abundant form of waste on the planet, has emerged as a potential solution to this problem. Researchers at Ohio University, led by Dr. Gerardine Botte, have shown that electrolysis can be used to produce hydrogen gas from human urine at a much lower cost than producing hydrogen from water. Urine's major constituent is urea, which incorporates four hydrogen atoms per molecule, and these hydrogen atoms are less tightly bonded than those in water molecules. Botte has developed a catalyst and an electrolyzer that uses a nickel-based electrode to extract hydrogen from urea. The electrolyzer is small enough to be integrated into an automobile, and Botte claims that it could power hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the near future.
Botte's electrolyzer prototype is about the size of a pair of CD jewel cases and can produce up to 500 milliwatts of power. She envisions that an electrolyzer built into a car would eliminate the need for a hydrogen storage tank and, with the right partnership, pee-powered cars capable of 60 miles per gallon could be on the road within a year.
The idea of using urine as fuel is not new. Four teenage girls from Nigeria, for example, figured out a way to use a liter of urine as fuel to get six hours of electricity from their generator. However, technology needs to evolve further before such a system is feasible for powering cars.
While urine-powered cars are promising, some argue that we should conserve our urine for other ecological purposes. For instance, phosphorus in pee is important for fertiliser, and just like oil, these deposits will run out one day.
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Electrolysis to extract hydrogen
Electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This process takes place in a unit called an electrolyzer, which consists of an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte. Electrolyzers can vary in size, from small, appliance-sized equipment to large-scale production facilities.
The electrolysis process involves feeding water and electricity into the electrolyzer. The water is first purified through several phases of filtration to ensure maximum purity, removing ions such as calcium, magnesium, and other minerals that cannot be used during electrolysis. Then, depending on the type of electrolyzer used, the water is converted into protons, hydroxide ions, or oxygen ions through electrochemical reactions. These ions then liberate hydrogen and oxygen gas from the water.
Solid oxide electrolyzers, for example, operate at high temperatures of about 700°–800°C to ensure the proper functioning of solid oxide membranes. They can effectively use heat from various sources, including nuclear energy, to decrease the amount of electrical energy needed to produce hydrogen from water. Other types of electrolyzers, such as PEM and commercial alkaline electrolyzers, operate at lower temperatures of 70°–90°C and below 100°C, respectively.
Electrolysis is a promising method for producing hydrogen from renewable and nuclear resources. It can result in zero greenhouse gas emissions, depending on the source of electricity used. The use of renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal power, can further reduce emissions. However, the current power grid in many regions is not ideal for providing the electricity required for electrolysis due to the greenhouse gases released and the low efficiency of electricity generation.
The concept of using urine as a source of hydrogen fuel is not new. Scientists, such as Gerardine Botte at Ohio University, have developed catalysts and electrolyzers capable of extracting hydrogen from urine. Botte's electrolyzer uses a nickel-based electrode to extract hydrogen from urea, the main component in urine. Urine is readily available, and Botte's small-scale electrolyzer prototype could potentially power hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, eliminating the need for a separate hydrogen storage tank.
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Urine as an additive
While urine by itself cannot be used as a fuel for cars, it can be used as an additive. In Italy, entrepreneur Daniela Ducato and Sardinian researcher Franco Lisci have developed transformers that allow the use of urine as an additive in cars that run on other fuels. The results from these tests are encouraging. A car that runs on petrol can save 35% with the addition of urine, while a car that runs on diesel saves 60% and one that runs on a gas combination can save up to 80%. A boat or trawler could reduce its diesel costs by 65%.
The use of urine as an additive also solves the smog problem as the urine turns into clean water at the end of the process. Urine is also readily available, as the human body produces two to three litres of it each day, and it is the most abundant form of waste on the planet.
The idea of using urine as an energy source is not new. In 2012, four teenage girls in Lagos, Nigeria, displayed their invention of a urine-powered generator at Maker Faire Africa. The generator used an electrolytic cell to separate the hydrogen from the urine. However, the technology needs to evolve further before such a system is feasible.
Gerardine Botte, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Ohio University, is working on practical ways to make urine a more useful hydrogen source by turning power into a byproduct of wastewater treatment. Botte's current electrolyzer prototype is about the size of a pair of CD jewel cases and can produce up to 500 milliwatts of power. She claims that her gadget could eliminate the problems of distributing hydrogen as an alternative fuel because it is small enough to integrate into an automobile. An electrolyzer built into a car would also eliminate the need for a hydrogen storage tank. With the right partnership, Botte believes that pee-powered cars capable of 60 miles per gallon could be on the road within a year.
While the use of urine as an additive in cars may be a promising development, there is an opposing school of thought that suggests that urine should be conserved for other, more important ecological purposes. For example, the phosphorus in urine could be recycled and used as fertiliser.
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Using urine to clean wastewater
While urine cannot be used in its raw form as a fuel for cars, it can be used to generate hydrogen, which is a clean alternative to fossil fuels. Hydrogen-powered cars are not a new concept, but a major challenge is the lack of a cheap, renewable source of fuel. Urine, the most abundant form of waste on the planet, could be the answer to this problem.
Urine's major constituent is urea, which incorporates four hydrogen atoms per molecule. In 2009, Gerardine Botte, a scientist and professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Ohio University, developed a catalyst capable of extracting hydrogen from urine. The catalyst uses a nickel-based electrode and, according to Botte, requires significantly less energy than is needed to extract hydrogen from water. An electrolyzer built into a car would eliminate the need for a hydrogen storage tank, and Botte believes that with the right partnership, we could have pee-powered cars capable of 60 miles per gallon on the road.
In 2012, four teenage girls in Lagos, Nigeria, also displayed an invention that used urine as a source of hydrogen to power a generator. While this invention is a long way from solving our energy challenge, it demonstrates the potential of urine as a fuel source.
In addition to its potential as a fuel source, urine can also be used to clean wastewater. Botte has expressed interest in combining these two ideas, so that hydrogen can be collected for fuel during the cleanup of effluent from sewage works. This process could also be used to address the problem of removing urine from water, which is currently expensive and inefficient.
While the idea of using urine to power cars is innovative and environmentally friendly, there are other important ecological considerations to make. For example, urine contains phosphorus, which is essential for fertiliser, and with global deposits expected to run out, some argue that we should be conserving our urine for phosphorus recycling.
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Conserving urine for ecological purposes
While the idea of using urine as an alternative fuel source for cars is innovative and promising, there are other ecological purposes for which we should consider conserving urine.
Urine contains urea, which is the same substance used to fertilize flower beds. Urea is a solid that dissolves in water and is, therefore, easy to move. Phosphorus, another component of urine, is also essential for fertiliser. As natural deposits of phosphorus will eventually run out, we need to start building phosphorus recycling into our infrastructure. By conserving urine, we can extract these valuable nutrients and use them to support agricultural practices.
Additionally, the process of extracting hydrogen from urine through electrolysis can also be used to clean up wastewater. This two-in-one approach can help address environmental concerns related to wastewater treatment while also generating a clean and renewable source of energy.
While the focus of this discussion has been on the potential for urine to power cars, it's important to consider the broader ecological implications and potential benefits of conserving and utilising urine in a variety of ways.
In conclusion, while the concept of urine-powered cars is intriguing, we should not overlook the potential for urine to contribute to other ecological advancements, such as wastewater treatment, nutrient recycling, and the development of clean energy sources. By exploring these avenues, we can work towards a more sustainable future and ensure that we are maximising the potential of this abundant waste product.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, urine can be used to fuel a car. Researchers at Ohio University have developed a catalyst that can extract hydrogen from urine.
The catalyst uses an electrolytic approach to produce hydrogen from urine. The urine is put into an electrolytic cell, which separates out the hydrogen.
Using urine as fuel is environmentally friendly as the only emission produced is water. It is also a cheap and renewable source of fuel, as urine is the most abundant form of waste on the planet.
Yes, urine can be used as an additive in cars that run on other fuels. For example, a car that runs on petrol can save 35% with the addition of urine.
One potential drawback is that urine may not be a suitable fuel source for all types of cars. Additionally, there may be concerns about the availability of urine as a fuel source, especially if it is being conserved for other ecological purposes, such as fertiliser.
