Tech giant Sony has revealed its latest innovation – a battery that runs on waste paper.
The bio-battery works by turning paper into fuel.
Enzymes decompose the paper turning it to sugar, which, when mixed with oxygen, creates electrons and hydrogen ions. These can then be turned into power. The invention was displayed last week at an event in Tokyo.
"This is the same mechanism with which termites eat wood to get energy," Chisato Kitsukawa, a publicity manager at Sony told the AFP news agency.
Although still in the prototype stage, should the technology prove successful, consumers may soon be charging their devices using shredded paper, a boon for those pushing for green energy.
Speaking to the BBC, John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, said: "The issue that we always have with battery technology is the toxic chemicals that go into making them and recycling batteries is also complicated."
"Any way to provide a greener technology could be a potential magic bullet. So from that point of view this is interesting, and I think it's fantastic that companies like Sony are looking to make the generation of energy more environmentally friendly."