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ATHENS OHIO -- By Eric Mansfield

It's one thing that all of us do everyday. It's the number one thing.  But all jokes aside,  everyone produces urine and now researchers at Ohio University say that means everyone of us is producing energy for the taking.

Gerardine Botte Phd. at OU says all they have to do is, "apply very small amount of energy, and this triggers a reaction."

While urine is mostly 99 percent water, the other one percent is packed with hydrogen from an organic compound called urea. It is the urea that can be sent to a fuel cell and can be used to power electric devices. For proof, OU researchers have  powered a tiny remote controlled car with "pee power" , which if used in enough volume, could be a driving force in future transporation and power needs. Researchers say if you could collect the urine from Ohio University's 24,000 students, you could power about 60 buildings every day. Energy that's for now is literally going down the drain.  

E-3  Technologies ..a form based in Athens is developing the the technology as its Green Box which are small units that could capture power from toilets in individual buildings or units to work with waste-water treatment plants. The devices are still in the development stage and there is a lot of work to be done before these devices will be ready for the marketplace.