Did you know that your poop can be used to generate power? When we are thinking about human waste, we have always associated it with something dirty. However, the genius mind of Professor Cho Jae-weon from South Korea invented a toilet named BeeVi that will convert your excrement into energy and virtual currency.
With this indegionous invention, Professor Cho, who is a lecturer at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), revolutionized the way we think about human waste. Excrement is not just a dirty object but simply part of the energy cycle in the grand scheme of things.
BeeVi toilet is a design that focuses on exploring alternative renewable green energy. Currently, the various countries in the world still heavily rely on fossil fuel to produce electricity. There are millions of tons of carbon being released into the atmosphere and causing climate change.
The invention of BeeVi, shows that humans do not have to destroy the earth to produce energy if we can think outside the box!
The ambitious BeeVi uses vacuum to suck the excreted waste and then send it down into a special tank that converts the faeces into methane. The biogas then can be used to power an engine. In time, the engine can also be connected to an electricity generator.
On average, the eco-friendly BeeVi is capable of producing 50 liters of methane gas from one person’s waste. The volume of the biogas, if converted into energy, can power a car up to 1.2 kilometers.
At glance, It may not seem like a lot. However, this calculation is based on just one person. Imagine if you installed a BeeVi toilet in public places. Millions of people who use this toilet every day will be able to generate enough energy to power thousands of cars or houses.
Additionally, the waste from the BeeVi power plant comes in the form of manure compost. The substance is very good to nourish plants. In other words, the efficient eco-friendly BeeVi also advocates organic gardening.
Furthermore, BeeVi also combines its eco-conscious design with cryptocurrency technology! Everytime you use this toilet, you will be rewarded with 10 Ggool, the name of the virtual currency, and you can use it to buy books, coffee or cup noodles.
Evidently, the virtual currency incentives have encouraged more students of UNIST to use BeeVi. One student named Heo Hui-jin expressed her sentiment that the toilet has changed her perspective on human waste. It is no longer something that makes her feel gross, but with BeeVi, human waste is a pile of potential energy.
Currently, BeeVi has not been available for mass production. However, you can find these toilets installed in UNIST facilities. In the future, when this technology becomes widespread, human waste will become a valuable commodity and we will have a new source of green energy. Can’t wait!