If the utilization of solar energy was an easy task, we would not encounter the greenhouse gas problem arising from the use of fossil fuel. While solar energy systems work quite well in hot desert climates, they are still inefficient and contribute only a small percentage of total energy consumption today. An innovative solution may grow from a completely unexpected source - one that could be served to you on your dinner plate.
After successfully isolating the tiny crystals of the photosynthesis coupling (PSI super complex) from the pea plant, Professor Nelson suggested that it would be possible to shine a light on these crystals and use them as tiny battery chargers or as a basis for much more efficient artificial solar cells.
Nanoscience is the science of the tiny particles of materials and is one of the most important research fronts in contemporary technology. In nature, arranging particles with sub-nanometer precision is a routine task essential to the functions of biological systems such as the photosynthesis system.
In order to obtain useful energy, the plants have developed for themselves very sophisticated "nano-machines" that use sunlight as their energy source while obtaining a perfect quantum efficiency of one hundred percent (energy utilization rate). This system, called Photosystem I (PSI) coupling, was isolated from pea leaves, and its spatial structure was determined by Professor Nelson with high resolution, a finding that allows him to describe its intricate details.
"The goals of my research focus on the need to bring us closer to the energy production capacity that plants are able to obtain by converting sunlight into sugars (carbohydrates) in their green leaves," explains the researcher.
Quantum physics and photons, as described by Albert Einstein in 1905, explain the principles regarding the behavior of radiant energy. As soon as light is absorbed by the plant leaves, it energetically excites electrons that are used to activate biochemical reactions in the plant, such as the creation of sugar.
"If we can even get close to how plants produce their energy from sugars, we will have a breakthrough. Therefore, it is extremely important to decipher the structure of this nano-machine in order to understand in detail how it works," explains the researcher.
Since the PSI reaction center is a protein-dye (pigment) conjugate responsible for the photosynthetic conversion of light energy into another form of energy, chemical energy, these reaction centers, thousands of which are packed with great precision in crystals, may be used to convert solar energy into electricity and as electronic components in a wide variety of devices.
"One can easily understand the astonishment and satisfaction we felt when, following the illumination of these crystals placed on gold-coated plates, we were able to produce an electric voltage of ten volts. It will not solve the energy problem in our world, but it could be composed of energy switches for simple solar-energy devices, as an example," concludes Professor Nelson.
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I think this is possible to a certain extent, but the idea is not new, copying from nature for new technologies.
I know one thing...peas make me gassy and you can warm them up in the winter.
The energy efficiency of photosynthesis in a plant is 10% to 20%
without taking into account all those photons that are not absorbed by the chlorophyll
I assume the confusion stems from the fact that the system does produce 100 percent of the light it receives, but it ignores most of the wavelengths and does not use them at all.
That, at least, is my guess.
plants have evolved very sophisticated "nano-machinery" which operates with light as its energy source and gives a perfect quantum yield of 100%.
100% quantum survivor?
I do not think so.