CHINA WATCH Air is everywhere, but can you imagine it can be used as a new form of energy? Chinese boffins claim to have discovered this new clean energy source – simply by using dry air.

“The breakthrough makes it possible to use dry air, instead of electricity, to cool down the water and the indoor air, and be applied at least to power large-scale air-conditioning equipment in office buildings,” says Jiang Yi, the research project leader, told China Daily.

Jiang said he was confidant the energy could be widely applied, and that his team at Tsinghua were cooperating with a company in Xinjiang to produce air-powered air-conditioning equipment.

So far trials in some large buildings had been successful.

It’s not all rosy though: it can’t be used to produce electricity, but rather provides a means to allow less reliance on electricity.

Still, it raises the prospect of a practical use for some of the loudmouths we talk to from time to time…

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