Renewable energy is always a hot topic in the fields of science and technology. Check out these awesome projects to create your own energy!

If you’ve ever been to an elementary school science fair, you’ve probably seen a project using potatoes to create electricity. Hooking up two potatoes and simple wires can give you enough power to run a clock. Though it might seem simplistic, this energy can be harnessed to do so much more. According to a BBC article, scientists are trying to use potato energy to run entire villages in rural areas. It’s the zinc in potatoes that allows them to power electronics, and researchers figure if they can do something as simple as tell time, this power could be used to enrich lives.

I Sea What You Did There

Using just salt water, foil and a battery, you can light up a light bulb. Salt water is made up of sodium and chlorine ions, which allow it to conduct electricity. To make your own electricity, wrap two tongue depressors in foil and connect an insulated copper wire to each depressor. Connect the other end of one wire to a battery, and the other end of the second wire to a small light bulb. Use a third wire to connect the battery and the light bulb. Then dip the depressors in water and, voila, you have just created your own energy! For more details, check out the exact instructions for this experiment. 

Trash Talk

You know all the junk you normally toss in the garbage like banana peels and coffee rinds? You could be saving it to make compost, which can be used as fertilizer. A lot of people keep compost piles for their gardens, but they could also be creating energy from it. As your garbage decomposes, its temperature will elevate, creating thermal energy.

It’s Getting Hot in Here

Heat is one of the many natural resources that can generate energy. And you can test this out in your own kitchen! Fill a pot half full of water, cover it with foil and put it on the stove to heat. Place a coffee can on top of the pot. By cutting small holes in the can and foil, you can channel the heat from the stove and create energy. If you put a pinwheel over the stove, you’ll see how energizing heat can be. To replicate this experiment, check out these instructions.

Water Water Everywhere

Hydropower, or energy from water, is a powerful resource and is used in everyday life, from creating electricity to lifting objects. For this experiment, you can use your sink faucet, cork and a soda bottle to generate enough power to lift an eraser. You might need a few more materials here and there, but the main concept you discover is the more water, the more power.