INNOVATION
From energy- generating microbes to bioluminescence…
The ability to create self-sustaining green spaces is sci-fi thinking brought to reality, whilst the flexibility of Bioo Tech’s solution will make it appealing for a wide range of end-users in the West End, whether retail, hospitality, or property owner.
Bioo is tapping into the power of nature to create self-sustaining green spaces
W hen microorganisms in the soil break down organic matter, they set electrons free, creating an electrical current. Spanish startup Bioo is leveraging this process to create ‘biological batteries’. Its ‘Panel’ product consists of an open layer, which can be planted with any natural ecosystem, on top of a microbe-containing battery layer. This ‘battery’ captures the electrical current created by the microbes, and this power is then used to reduce maintenance costs for the green space through automation, including a smart irrigation system. The panels, which can be installed on ceilings, walkways, roofs, and on the ground, can even be used to power lighting or charge phones. Bioo’s second product, called ‘Switch’, The panels, which can be installed on ceilings, walkways, roofs and on the ground, can be used to power lighting...
under development. In the first solution, the company works with 58 species of bioluminescent fungi to create open or encapsulated lighting systems. In the second, a harmless and bio-compatible phosphorescent compound is added to plants to make them bioluminescent for their lifetime. The third, which is not yet available, will genetically alter plants to continually produce the bioluminescent luciferin or luciferase protein. The startup’s technology is compatible with projects of different sizes, from small-scale installations all the way up to large megastructures. For example, the company’s products have been used by designers in retail environments, including in Dockers and Adidas shops in Europe. And, in the UK, the technology has been incorporated into the Eden Project.
enables people to activate electronic systems simply by touching the leaf of a plant connected to the company’s technology, while a third product, ‘Lumina’, provides lighting via bioluminescence – the production of light by living organisms. Lumina is delivered via three solutions, two of which are available today and one that is
Not only do Bioo Tech’s sci-fi-like solutions inspire intrigue among visitors – they also provide tangible benefits. For example, by generating its own electricity and being fully autonomous, the Bioo Panel can save both water and energy. The company even claims that the panels can lower maintenance costs by as much as 60 per cent compared with traditional installations. Similarly, providing lighting through Lumina delivers energy savings of 90 per cent as well as a 95 per cent reduction in light pollution, according to the startup.
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