Could Artificial Grass Become a Renewable Energy Source?

What if one day in the future you decide to install artificial grass and not only does it save you both money and water but it also generates renewable energy to power your house? Such a notion may sound preposterous but researchers at China’s Southwest Jiaotong University and the Georgia Institute of Technology believe it may not only be possible but also incredibly practical. In the December, 2015 issue of the scientific journal Advanced Materials, the researchers published a paper describing how individual blades of artificial grass could be created to act as miniature wind turbines that, when working in conjunction with thousands of others, could generate nearly enough power to run an entire home. The research suggests that a 3,20 square-meters field of artificial grass could generate more than 7 kilowatts of electricity. Such technology is still in its infancy but the research shows promise. And maybe in a decade or two, instead of solar panels we’ll be installing artificial grass on our rooftops as well as our yards.