THE first ever photoshoot ‘powered by nature’ has taken place – and this is the result.
A new technology has been developed which turns energy produced by plants into electricity – effectively a process of harnessing photosynthetic energy.
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To power the lighting of the night shoot for a new car, experts buried microbial fuel cells into soil which in turn were connected to batteries to charge them.
When plants photosynthesise, they produce excess organic compounds as waste which are released into the soil or water.
Geo-bacteria in the soil and water digest this organic waste and release electrons – and it was this energy which was collected using the buried microbial fuel cells.
Taken by specialist photographer, George Williams, the images, which will go on display in London’s Saatchi Gallery, feature the all-electric new PEUGEOT E-5008.
The car maker teamed up with Dutch research and design studio Nova Innova for the shoot and spokesperson for the studio, Ermi Van Oers said: “This first-of-its-kind shoot was a great and unique way to demonstrate what is possible with our technology.
“We hope that this technology can be scaled to help power more aspects of our lives in the future including household appliances and elements of our vehicles.
“PEUGEOT is committed to finding innovative and sustainable solutions, making it the perfect partner for such a project, and it has been great to work with them to bring our technology to a wider audience.”
As many as 30 microbial fuel cells were used for the shoot, with 10 powered by organic waste from 11 plants with a further 10 powered using a mix of 188 litres of mud and 94 litres of water.
While the rest were powered by a mix of 60 litres of mud and two litres of used coffee grounds.
Spokesperson for the automobile manufacturer, Nicola Dobson said: “The world’s first photoshoot powered by plant energy with the new E-5008 showcases PEUGEOT’s commitment to innovation and adoption of new technology.”
The shoot follows a study by the car maker which found 58 per cent of motorists said commitment from manufacturers to invest in green technology is important to them when buying a car.
While 70 per cent revealed sustainability is significant to them when buying products generally.
Further to this, the research carried out through OnePoll of 2,000 adults who drive also found 55 per cent are more likely to buy from a brand which prioritises sustainability over one which doesn’t.
