Ayokunle Adeniran, a US-based Nigerian mechanical engineer, invented an iron called Iron Rhino that works without electricity or coal.
He said:
“My inspiration came from disappointment. One day, I needed to meet up with my dad at the airport, and the clothing I wanted to wear was rumpled, I was unhappy and had to wear something else. This disappointment brought about the spark of creativity in my head so I decided to proceed with the idea of having an alternative source of powering clothes iron.
The Iron Rhino is a product I designed in response to the inability of people to iron their clothes due to electrical power outages. It is a butane gas powered pressing iron, meaning it does not require electricity to function. It looks very similar to and functions like existing electric irons. The butane comes in canisters that retail for about 120 Naira and can last for 1 week usage at 20 minutes daily ironing.”
Though gas is not a renewable source of energy, it is healthier and cleaner than oil or burning coal. When gas is burned, it only releases carbon dioxide and water vapor (which are the exact same gases that we breathe out when we exhale).
