
Old laptop batteries could power slums, IBM says - yitchelle
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30345221
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miahi
My father is using old laptop cells as portable power packs for many things; I
usually send him all the dead laptop batteries I find, because in many cases
there are only a couple of dead cells, the others are fine and can be reused.
The problem is that 18650 cells (the ones you find in most laptop batteries)
don't have an over-discharge protection circuit, so you can easily brick them
if you don't add a protection circuit. You also have to be careful when
charging them, as they can catch fire if you do it incorrectly.

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arbuge
For this to work well, you'd probably also need some plan to ensure the
world's slums don't become dumping grounds for old batteries. Perhaps some
kind of program along the lines of "Here's a battery... you can keep it as
long as you need it, but you need to return it to the depot here to get
another one when it runs out."

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lotsofmangos
Unless it is a project to find a dumping ground for old batteries.

On a less cynical note, you do not need to provide an exchange program, dead
batteries already have a recycling value, you just need to make sure that
there is an accessible buyer and someone will make it their job to collect
them all without you doing anything.

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zik
Wouldn't it be more efficient to recycle them into new batteries that work
well instead? Lithium batteries are relatively easy to recycle.

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DigitalSea
This is a wonderful effort that I hope IBM follow through with. This is an
idea I have often thought of in my head on and off for years after seeing
those battery recycling stations, but obviously being one individual, can't
really make a difference.

Such an effort could also make people more proactively recycle their old
laptop batteries, something I know a lot of people don't take the time to
properly do, opting to instead throw it out into the garbage bin instead
because it is easier. Heck, if we could create a program where people are paid
a few cents for every battery they recycle like you can with bottles and
aluminum cans in a lot of places in the world, we would have more than enough
batteries for such a plan to scale.

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mschuster91
Germany has such a program already in place for lead-acid car starter
batteries, where you pay a deposit of €7.50 and get it refunded upon return.

Might be a sensible idea for cellphone and laptop batteries, but I suspect
that then thieves and other criminals will target cellphones for their
batteries :(

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miahi
I think this is an EU environmental program, as you find this in other EU
countries too, in the same way and about the same money.

~~~
_delirium
The Battery Directive is the general framework, though member states have some
leeway in how they want to design programs in order to reach its recycling
targets:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_Directive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_Directive)

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ams6110
If a slum-dweller doesn't have power, how does he recharge batteries?

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deserted
India's demand for electricity exceeds it's supply. India's Electricity
Authority reported power deficits of 8%.[1] This causes rolling blackouts.
Some slums only have power a few hours a day, when demand in other areas is
low.

[1] [http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/31/india-
blackout-...](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/31/india-blackout-
electricity-power-cuts)

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bob917
This is an incredibly worthwhile and interesting project posted on hn unlike
far too many that are self-absorbed, pretentious, and a Silicon Valley pseudo
entrepreneur bukake.

