Solar Energy Meet Fuel Cells Via Photosynthesis


MIT’s Daniel Nocera reportedly has found the holy grail to make solar energy truly useful 24/7: man-made photosynthesis. The biggest problem with solar energy is that the energy stops flowing when the sun stops shining. The usual solution is to store the electicity in batteries which wear out over time and are caustic for the environment. Nocera’s solution was arrived at by studying nature, plants in particular. How do plants get their energy when the sun goes down? Through the process of photosythesis. Nocera’s breakthrough was finding a way to convert water into its components, hydrogen and oxygen, via catalysts that can operate at room temperature and pressure using the electricity produced by the solar cells. The separated hydrogen and oxygen can then be combined in a fuel cell to deliver electricity when the sun is down. The result is clean, self-sustaining energy! Read all about it here. This man deserves a Nobel prize!
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