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Writer's pictureNeil Hwang

Static Electricity: The Bigger Solution

Updated: Sep 11, 2023

It might not look like it, but pollution is slowly but surely starting to affect our world today. The atmosphere, layers of gas that protect our planet from solar radiation are getting thinner, and this is due to greenhouse emissions. The world has provided society with a solution, renewable energy, but there is a cost while using these machines. A less dangerous and simpler solution would be using static electricity.


The negative aspect of the renewable technology used currently is hazardous materials, and habitat loss. Some of the hazardous materials used for solar energy are photovoltaic solar cells. Another famous renewable energy technology is the windmill. While they are useful, many harmful incidents occur, such as accidental electrical shocking, crushing injuries, and arc flashes/fires. The windmills use electrical wires outside, which can possibly start fires. Windmills impact wildlife in a negative aspect, as there have been instances regarding wildlife deaths. Windmills and solar energy are dangerous, so what better alternative is there than walking?


Static electricity was first introduced to mankind dating back to the times of the Ancient Greeks. Philosopher Thales of Miletus first discovered static electricity when he saw a spark ignite when there was contact made between amber and fabrics. Since then, static electricity has been covered up by huge technological machines such as windmills. Static electricity is made by kinetic movement, which is the contact between two surfaces. This will be easier to implement in our society today, a place where everything is moving. TENGS are machines that harvest energy from materials. If we implement TENGS under roads, there will be more kinetic energy produced, which means more static electricity created. Taxis, buses, cars, bikes, and people naturally walking will be more than enough energy for houses, even cities. Think about it, tons of electricity created without any casualties, and it will be created without most people knowing it.


Another place where people can implement TENGS are sports stadiums. As the interest in sports has grown, the energy created by the athletes are all going to waste. For example, soccer and basketball are one of the most widely known sports in the world, and the kinetic energy produced is a lot. Additionally, soccer players typically run 6-7 miles per game. Basketball players run somewhere between 4-6 miles each game. The NBA itself has 82 games, consisting of 30 different teams, and 450 players overall. If the season ends, then we could place the machines underneath courts, where everyone plays. The TENGS could be set under the floors of the fields and stadiums, and soon there will be tons of static electricity that can be used worldwide.

In conclusion, the technology we use today for renewable energy is too hazardous and expensive. Static electricity is the bigger solution to fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions than windmills and solar energy. They are far cheaper and less dangerous to use. By using static electricity, our world will be able to have more electricity in an easier, healthier, and less threatening way.


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