Salt-Powered Lamp: 8 Hours of Light from 1 Glass of Saltwater

Aiming to bring low-cost illumination to residents of the Philippines, a nation of 7,000 oceanic islands, the Salt Lamp uses a free and abundant resource to reduce fire risk from candles and replace the cost of traditional lighting.

Developed by engineer Lipa Aisa Mijena of De La Salle University, the Salt Lamp requires a single glass of water with two tablespoons of salt to provide a night’s worth of a light (complimenting approaches like Liters of Light that work in dark spaces during the day), but, best of all, it can run off the naturally salty water of the surrounding ocean.

A pair of electrodes, the other key ingredient, can run for up to a year without requiring replacement. The next-generation version of the Salt Lamp will also have the capacity to charge batteries in portable electronic devices including cellular phones. Essentially, “this lamp uses the science behind the Galvanic cell, the basis for battery-making, changing the electrolytes to a non-toxic, saline solution — making the entire process safe and harmless.”