Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Grass Power
Otherwise known as biophotovoltaics, it is an emerging
technology that endeavours to utilise the processes of
photosynthesis to generate electricity.
In a recent scientific report published by MIT, researcher
Andreas Mershin revealed that his team has produced an improved
method for creating electricity-producing biophotovoltaics without
sophisticated laboratory equipment. This is a huge step forward in
creating solar cells that could be made use of in rural and
developing countries where there is not access to affordable
energy.
Mershin explains that the process is as simple as combining a
bag of custom chemicals with any green organic material and
painting the mixture on a roof. "After many years of research,
we've managed to make the process of extracting this protein and
stabilizing it and putting on a surface that is made in a way to
allow for the photovoltaic effect to happen to be very easy."
This is not the first time scientists has been able to create
biophotovoltaics, however it is the most simple and best performing
method yet. The system can convert 0.1 percent of the suns energy
into electricity, which is a 10,000 percent efficiency improvement
on previous models.
Mershin hopes that within a few years the systems will have an
efficiency increase by ten fold and rural developing communities
will be utilizing biophotvoltaics to full effect. "Commandeering
this intricately organized photosynthetic nanocircuitry and
re-wiring it to produce electricity carries the promise of
inexpensive and environmentally friendly solar power."
-Rhys Leitch