World-first on London's Southbank, as Big Bang scientists unveil battery made from sprouts used to light eight-foot tree
City of London Academy pupils with the tree
The world's first battery made entirely of Brussels sprouts is being used to light an eight-foot Christmas tree in London.
The 'Sprout Battery' was launched yesterday on the Southbank, with the help of Year 7 pupils from City of London Academy.
The scheme is the brainchild of scientists and engineers from The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair.
The battery was created using five power cells, each holding 200 sprouts, producing 63 volts from the 1,000 Brussels sprouts.
This puts it in the extra low voltage category, similar to a telephone, and ensures it is safe to touch.
Copper and zinc electrodes have been placed in each Brussels sprout to create a chemical reaction between the electrodes, generating a current which can be stored and used to power the LEDs on the tree.
The power is then stored in a capacitor and released through 100 high efficiency LEDs.
The Big Bang scientists are able to monitor the voltage on a separate display, which shows how much energy is being produced by the sprouts.
Paul Jackson, the CEO of EngineeringUK, which runs The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair, said: "We want young people to think about STEM subjects in an interesting way, and are always looking for different ways to do that. It being the festive time of year - and kids' dislike of sprouts being well documented - using them to create a battery seemed like a unique way to achieve that aim.
"Every year thousands of pupils and teachers attend the fair, which exists to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. We want to extend the buzz of the fair further and wider, so that even those who can't attend are encouraged to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and maths."
The Big Bang Fair takes place at The NEC, Birmingham, on 13-16 March, 2014.
