ENERGY FROM THE AIR: Saturday 14 June 1930: A cable message which appeared in the daily Press a few days ago regarding the invention of an Italian to extract energy from the air aroused special interest in Ballarat, where a claim to have invented something similar was made by a young Italian resident of Ballarat some years ago. This apparently refers to Mr. Mario Burali Commons, son of the late Mr. F. W. Commons, a pioneer monumental mason, of Ballarat, whose business the former still carries on. Commons Italian Christian names were bestowed on him as a mark of respect to Italian friends of his father.
Mario Burali Commons and his brother Robert, who lost his life in the war, were engaged in electrical experiments as young men, but lack of funds and opportunity robbed them of the chance to perfect their ideas. Before Robert Commons left for the war they did actually complete a device in hydraulics, achieving a perpetual flow of energy from a flow of a given quantity of water through valves operated by compressed air. Robert Commons subsequently was appointed instructor in hydraulics at Brisbane University, but the war precluded him taking up the appointment. The fascinating prospect of harnessing energy from the atmosphere engaged all the spare time and means of both brothers. They successfully experimented with a kite as a conductor of energy during thunderstorms to light lamp bulbs in a circuit between two earth pins. The power of the impulses would invariably blow the lamps. They were engaged on consideration of storage and control of the power elements when other concerns compelled their attention. Later Robert and William Commons were killed at the front. The subsequent death of his father left Mr. Mario Commons alone to carry on the business, and made the pursuit of further experiments impossible.
Mario Burali Commons and his brother Robert, who lost his life in the war, were engaged in electrical experiments as young men, but lack of funds and opportunity robbed them of the chance to perfect their ideas. Before Robert Commons left for the war they did actually complete a device in hydraulics, achieving a perpetual flow of energy from a flow of a given quantity of water through valves operated by compressed air. Robert Commons subsequently was appointed instructor in hydraulics at Brisbane University, but the war precluded him taking up the appointment. The fascinating prospect of harnessing energy from the atmosphere engaged all the spare time and means of both brothers. They successfully experimented with a kite as a conductor of energy during thunderstorms to light lamp bulbs in a circuit between two earth pins. The power of the impulses would invariably blow the lamps. They were engaged on consideration of storage and control of the power elements when other concerns compelled their attention. Later Robert and William Commons were killed at the front. The subsequent death of his father left Mr. Mario Commons alone to carry on the business, and made the pursuit of further experiments impossible.
