When I first heard about this technology, I assumed it must be a typo, certainly they meant solar…not soil. It turns out however, the is such as thing as a soil powered lamp.

Apparently Dutch designed Marieke Strap has designed a soil powered lamp that uses conductive plates made from copper and zinc burried within the soil to provide constant and nearly eternal light for an LED bulb. According to the products description these metal plates interact with conducive metals like zinc, copper and iron which are already present in soil.

According to its designer the implications for the soil lamp are vast as it provides free and abundent energy in remote locations (i.e. private islands).  For more information on this unique product visit Inhabitat.