Surplus energy, a theoretical form of alternative energy, is the type of power that is always around us but never gets used. A perfect example of this is the Peltier Effect, which was one of the principle ideas behind a 15-year-old’s brilliant invention.

Ann Makosinski from Victoria, British Columbia, has created a body heat powered flashlight that takes the heat generated by your hand and uses it to power the flashlight’s bulb. She’s calling it the hollow flashlight. It uses a Peltier Plate and some special circuitry to create a steady beam of light.

Makosinski will take her invention to the Google Science Fair as one of only 15 students selected out of thousands of entrants from more than 100 countries worldwide. She will compete for a $50,000 scholarship and a trip to the Galapagos Islands.