Battery maker opens path to tiny green energy and huge sales

 

Batteries are not green. For more than 250 years, they have been among the most expensive sources of energy, requiring inordinate amounts of energy to produce and using hazardous chemicals. But one Israeli company may have developed a greener alternative to the bunny or the copper top. It’s called Power Paper.

 

 

Power Paper batteries are printed directly onto paper, plastic or other surfaces. About the thickness of a paper mild carton, the cells produce 1.5 volts and last two and a half years. They are not rechargeable, and so hold the most promise for disposable applications – but those applications are myriad: smart cards, luggage tags, baseball cards, greeting cards, lottery tickets, games, medical devices, even newspapers and magazines. To be more specific, imagine a debit card that, following each use, displays your remaining bank balance. Or a ticket to a football game that gives you directions to your seat. Or a grocery label that monitors the temperature of the product and displays a warning if it has ever reached unsafe levels. The possibilities are almost endless.

 

The green aspect of Power Paper is in its chemical make-up. Power Paper cells are considered “dry” and therefore don’t need a protective metal case to hold in toxic chemicals used in traditional batteries. Baruch Levanon, CEO of Power Paper calls the chemical formula used in the cells the “Coca-Cola” secret of the company. It’s the absence of harmful chemicals that allows the batteries to be so thin.