Ambient Energy Could Replace Batteries:

            Batteries may soon become outmoded. The new idea of energy harvesting, gathering ambient energy in many different ways, is sweeping the clean energy markets. Navigant Energy says that revenue produced from energy harvesting devices will grow from $268 million to $375 million by 2020. The market is growing. Energy harvesting applications have even recently spread to products like cell phones and portable computers. Batteries are now being seen as economically obsolete by large companies, who are currently leaning toward ambient energy to power their products. Navigant Energy reports that electromagnetic, solar, thermal, and mechanical energy are the sources that supply energy harvesting devices. These devices pose an extremely better alternative to disposable batteries, since once a person is done with a battery, they throw the toxic materials into a landfill. With ambient energy supplying EH devices, consumers will not run out of energy. The backing of EH devices could provide a great future, offsetting fossil fuels and providing clean energy. Energy harvesting devices fascinate me. If an invention like this could get a foothold in society, awesome amounts of energy can be saved. If I was not just a high school student and actually had some money, I would definitely fund this cause.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=ambient-energy-could-replace-batteries