Scientists have figured out a method to generate electricity from Earth's rotation. A device developed by Scientists from Princeton University and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) can create tiny amounts of electricity leveraging Earth's movement. According to a report by The Debrief, the electricity generated, despite being small, can be measured. 

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Theoretically, it is not possible to create electricity from a uniform field like Earth’s magnetic field. However, the team of researchers say that there is a tiny loophole which helped them achieve the results.

Princeton University Professor Christopher Chyba told the publication that he discovered the method while working on something else. He said that he and study co-author and co-inventor, JPL’s Dr. Kevin Hand, were working on something that wasn't supposed to translate into anything practical, but that's how they got the idea of generating electricity from the Earth’s rotation.

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Chyba and Hand have published a paper describing the theory, testing and construction of their device. The paper states that the working is similar to traditional power stations. Electricity is generated by passing a conductor through a magnetic field. Theoretically, if you were to put a conductor on Earth’s surface, "it would move through some portion of the field, causing electrons to move and generating power," the paper states.

Their material suggested that certain items shaped into a cylindrical tube "might channel the Earth’s magnetic field in a way that creates an imbalance in the electrostatic force inside the device."

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Using their calculations, they built a lab at Princeton where they first made a hollow cylinder from a soft, magnetic material containing manganese, zinc, and iron. Then, they made a customised wood “turntable” and placed it on top of an MRI cart. The total cost incurred on the device was around $25,000.

Their device generated a small amount of electricity from Earth's rotation

They made sure the device was not giving a false energy signal and then measured it to see if it was generating electricity. It was a eureka moment as they observed a tiny 17-μV voltage. When the orientation of the device was changed in relation to the Earth’s magnetic field, it stopped generating electricity. Even though small, they knew they had something.

“The voltage is 0 when the device is oriented with its long axis in the E-W direction and -18 microvolts when the device is oriented with the “red” end toward the north (we call this the 0 degree orientation),” Chyba explained, “but +18 microvolts when the “red” end is oriented toward the south (the 180 degree orientation).”

The scientists have added equations in their paper that “show how to scale up the output” of their device and attain higher voltage outputs. They are also looking at ways to create a practical device that can generate electricity from Earth's rotation by making the device's dimensions better.