Pittwater Life May 2024 Issue

News
Ben’s breakthrough charge
As with all scientific innovations, the
development of a sustainable electricity
technology has been a journey for
16-year-old Benjamin Lenehan.
Benjamin began generating electricity from
nitrogen, which was challenging, but led
to him noticing that energy was still being
created once the nitrogen flow had stopped.
Further testing led to the discovery that
moisture in the air could be used to create
renewable energy, which could effectively
work 24 hours a day.
After months of testing various materials
and approaches to get the largest voltage
possible, Benjamin created a prototype called
the NitroNet, with an output of 190 volts –
using moisture in the air.
“Ultimately, I want to sell this product as a
panel that can output 240 volts – the amount
required to power an entire house,” said
Benjamin.
His invention hasn’t come by chance; he has
spent countless hours every day for the past
year developing the technology.
“I’ve funded it with my own money,
earnt from my after-school job. Research
and development comes with significant expense, but the
investment has proved to be worthwhile,” he said.
“The prototype is very cheap to make at just $6.50 for the
190-volt variant. I’ve turned part of mum’s kitchen into a
chemistry lab to do experiments every evening after dinner.”
GREAT THINGS: Spark Tank winners
Benjamin, 16 (right) and Oliver, 18, with
their invention that creates electricity
from the air.
The product is patented in Australia and
the UK.
“The beauty of the NitroNet is that it works
24/7, is cheap and portable and only needs
access to air to operate. I have been testing
different processes and combinations to
increase the output and also am conducting
endurance testing to ensure it will be a
sustainable product in the long-term.”
Benjamin, along with the support
of his brother, entered the local youth
entrepreneurial business competition Spark
Tank, where he was required to pitch his
business plan and invention in front of a
panel of judges and audience. They were
very impressed with Benjamin’s working
prototype, which powered two lights.
As the winner, Benjamin and his brother
received $5000 in seed funding and six
months of business coaching, provided by
local business entrepreneurs.
Benjamin has also won a Teens in Business
competition, winning the 2023 Australian
Most Impactful Entrepreneur of the Year. The
young inventor says he plans to develop more
useful technologies in the future.
“Once I finish developing the NitroNet, I plan to continue to
try to find solutions to real world problems using scientific
methods, and plan to make them accessible to the world
through my business, Watergate Labs,” he said.
*Follow Benjamin’s journey at watergatelabs.com
22 MAY 2024
The Local Voice Since 1991