Green batteries?

Scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed a new environmentally friendly silicon-air battery capable of supplying non recharged power for thousands of hours. The findings are published in the October 2009 issue of Electrochemistry Communications.

Created from oxygen and silicon (the second most plentiful element in the earth’s crust), such batteries would be lightweight, have an unlimited shelf life, and have a high tolerance for both humid and extremely dry conditions.  Potential uses include medical applications (for example, powering diabetic pumps or hearing aids), sensors and microelectronics structured from silicon.