https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bionic-leaf-makes-fuel-from-sunlight-water-and-air1/A tree's leaf, a blade of grass, a single algal cell: all make fuel from the simple combination of water, sunlight and carbon dioxide through the miracle of photosynthesis. Now scientists say they have replicated—and improved—that trick by combining chemistry and biology in a "bionic" leaf.
Chemist Daniel Nocera of Harvard University and his team joined forces with synthetic biologist Pamela Silver of Harvard Medical School and her team to craft a kind of living battery, which they call a bionic leaf for its melding of biology and technology. The device uses solar electricity from a photovoltaic panel to power the chemistry that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen, then adds pre-starved microbes to feed on the hydrogen and convert CO2 in the air into alcohol fuels.
RonArt said:Maybe imitating Nature is not the best route.
rootone said:I think it's possible, but it would be a lot of work to produce a not very efficient result.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/plants-versus-photovoltaics-at-capturing-sunlight/a group of 18 biologists, chemists and physicists set out to answer the question by first creating roughly equivalent systems—comparing apples with apples, as it were rather than apples with oranges. Photosynthesis (conducted by algae) turns roughly 3 percent of incoming sunlight into organic compounds, including yet more plant cells, annually. "http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=shift-happens-will-artificial-photo-2010-03-03"—comprising a PV cell that provides the electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen—turns roughly 10 percent of incoming sunlight into usable hydrogen annually
Biomimicry is the practice of using nature and its processes as inspiration for solving human problems. Trees have evolved to efficiently capture and store energy from the sun, making them a valuable resource for studying and replicating their energy potential.
Trees are a renewable source of energy that can be sustainably harvested for various purposes, such as heating and electricity production. They also have a high energy density, meaning they contain a large amount of energy per unit volume compared to other biomass sources.
By studying the structure and function of trees, we can identify key mechanisms and processes that allow them to efficiently capture and store energy. This knowledge can then be applied to the design of new technologies and systems that mimic the energy-capturing abilities of trees.
One example is the development of solar cells that mimic the structure of leaves to efficiently capture sunlight. Another is the use of tree-inspired designs to improve wind turbine efficiency. Additionally, some researchers are exploring the potential of using genetically modified trees to produce biofuels.
Some potential benefits include reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, mitigating climate change, and promoting sustainable energy production. By utilizing the natural processes and efficiencies of trees, we can also reduce the environmental impact of energy production and create more efficient and cost-effective technologies.