Marine Vet Aims to Convert Lightning to Usable Power


The main purpose of alternative energy is to harness that which will occur anyway: solar panels collect sunlight that would have otherwise been absorbed or reflected back into the air, wind turbines use air currents to spin generators, and hydroelectric generators do the same as wind but with ocean currents.

It is not without reason, therefore, to try and harness energy from all forms of natural phenomenon; there is a plethora of natural and clean energy potential wasted every day. One such phenomenon is lightning, with potential energy being formed at all times due to static electric from the friction of adjacent clouds.

Enter Ryan Davis: Marine Corps veteran and native to the Southeastern United States, an area no stranger to intense lightning storms. Inspired by his service as a young man, Davis wanted to continue helping humanity in whatever way he could even after his tour of duty ended. He was always fascinated by electrical storms as a child, so why not pursue this passion as a means to power the world? Just one lightning strike contains enough electricity to power 56 households for an entire day, according to Davis. Multiplied by the vast number of lightning strikes throughout the year, and the picture begins to take shape.

Ryan Davis formed First Light Consulting Incorporated, a company that wants to be a part of the clean energy future of the world. The company is focused on quantifying the total atmospheric energy in the skies above. He believes that in just 5 years, his company will be able to convert potential energy in the clouds into usable energy for homes and cars on the ground.

What’s next for Davis after that? He points to space mining as his goal for the next 25 years; even the sky isn’t the limit.