Finding the Hidden Treasure Behind Green Waste - An Alternative Energy Source: Chlorophyll From Green Plant Waste

Overview

As the world faces climate change, advancements in green technology have begun to emerge across various sectors, with many of these key innovations relying on batteries as their primary source of power. While batteries support the transition to renewable energy, they also present several problems to the environment along the way. The mining of materials for battery production, both on land and at sea, results in drastic damage to the environment. In addition, the difficulty and excessive costs of recycling batteries lead to their accumulation in landfills at the end of their life cycle. Therefore, the focus of this project is to develop a chlorophyll-based battery using green plant waste, a more natural material that is highly accessible in nature. By utilizing a form of waste that would otherwise be discarded, the project not only addresses existing environmental concerns but contributes to conserving resources. For the procedures of creating extracted chlorophyll solution, I altered one variable at a time for each individual experiment, adjusting the formula based on the voltage, current (µA or mA), and power output (w) readings measured with the multimeter. Through the experiments, I was able to develop a battery whose structure consists of an electrolyte made from a boiled, extracted chlorophyll solution, with copper and zinc serving as positive and negative electrodes. The electrolyte is composed of 20 grams of green plant waste stored for 3 days, 80 mL of 50% alcohol, and a 10% copper sulfate crystal solution. This study proves that green plant waste could potentially be used to replace some of the traditional chemicals in lithium-ion batteries. To further expand on the product’s potential, the methodology I used for developing chlorophyll-based batteries can be shared with professionals working in the energy sector. With their skills and resources, they can make adjustments to the structure and enhance it in ways that make it more practical and effective for a broader range of applications. In general, this research aims to reduce recycling challenges and minimize negative environmental impacts associated with mining for battery production.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Alternative Energy (Junior Division) · Entry J-01-03

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