Ionic Polymer Piezoelectric Grid Generating Energy from a River

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are using ionic polymers immersed in a river to generate ‘clean’ electricity for the city of Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. If the project is successful, the city’s downtown ‘could one day get 20 percent or more of its electrical power from a mile-long array of tiny plastic devices wiggling away on the bottom of the Kiskiminetas River as it sweeps around the town.

The development is performed in coordination with the town of Vandergrift, PA. The people of Vandergrift not only enable access to the river for prototype testing, but are also actively involved in the design process to insure that the ultimate device meets their expectations for maintaining the beauty and accessibility of their local river — the ‘Kiski’.”

http://www.nextenergynews.com/news08/next-energy-news8.28.08c.html