TOKYO -- A leading Japanese paper producer has successfully lit an electric bulb with a battery made of wood pulp, shedding light on a future in which the use of drones, smartphones and electric vehicles will not lead to the depletion of rare metals.
The bulb remained lit for 7 seconds or so in the latest experiment, but Nippon Paper Industries expects to be able to increase the battery's capacity to the extent that it will be able to power drones in fiscal 2023, then smartphones and other devices by fiscal 2030.
