Discovery; electric charge reduces tillage energy.

The application of a modest electric charge to conventional tillage tools may significantly reduce the amount of energy farmers need to plow their fields. The phenomenon at work is electroosmosis: an electric charge applied to the tilling blade pulls moisture from the soil to the blade surface, providing lubrication that reduces friction as the blade cuts through the earth. Since the amount of tillage energy saved is much greater than the amount of electric energy expended, such a charging system has the potential to significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels in agriculture. Recent laboratory experiments at the University of Arizona have documented energy savings of up to …