According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), each year there are more than 50 million lithium-ion laptop batteries being discarded of by consumers. Of those discarded batteries, researchers have found that at least 70 percent may contain enough life to power an LED light for at least four hours a day for up to a year.
IBM Research India has collaborated with an R&D firm to extract used battery cells, test the units, and recombine them to create refurbished battery packs. Other modifications include the addition of charging dongles and circuitry to prevent overheating. The battery packs were then provided to individuals within low-class settings that are off-grid to test the batteries as a light power source, and users confirmed successful operations.
The use of refurbished batteries will provide a less expensive solution for electricity storage that is sufficient enough to light off-grid homes in poorer regions.
Source: MIT Technology Review
