Theresa Harmanen‘s Alma Tree Lamp is an innovative lighting design concept that takes energy directly from nature without destroying it. Designed to be plugged directly into a tree, this project explores the energy created when a tree “communicates” with its soil. By harvesting and storing this energy, Alma forgoes the need for a grid power source, lighting up the streets while highlighting the beauty of plant life.
Trees produce energy in the process of maintaining a PH balance between itself and the soil, and the Alma concept uses this energy through a tree metabolic energy harvesting technology. Storing the energy is done by using long-lived thin-film batteries containing non-hazardous materials, and the harvested energy can be used to power LED lights activated by motion sensors. The individual units can be placed according to the size of the tree.
My question would be does this interrupt the metabolic process of the tree itself enough to do damage to it?
Awesome. Where can I get these ?