April 4, 2008
The death and fossilization of plants and animals gave us the “dirty energy” we rely on today; but it is living organisms that may provide us with the clean energy of the future. In recent years, researchers have started aggressively exploring how plants, animals, fungi and bacteria can help in the development of "next-generation" fuels and electricity. Nature, it seems, has much to teach about the efficiency of energy conversion and consumption.
Take photosynthesis, for example. When a plant’s pigment molecules absorb photons, they enter an excited state that is moved to the “reaction center,” a chlorophyll molecule called the protein complex. The reaction center is where the plant first generates chemical energy. This energy transfer is instantaneous and happens with almost 100 percent efficiency. Now researchers are trying to figure out how to design photovoltaic cells that mimic this virtually flawless process.
In a plant, the pigment molecules and the reaction center make up an antenna complex, which harvests the sunlight. One way to recreate the energy transfer is to build a large “living antenna” around a photovoltaic (PV) cell. Because the average monocrystalline PV cell is around 11-15 percent efficient, modules must be bigger to collect more photons. However, with an antenna that collects more of the photons available, future modules would not have to be as big.
While the solar industry may be far away from mimicking photosynthesis, some bioenergy companies are mastering the process of growing algae specifically for biofuels. These prolific organisms have the potential to produce massive amounts of oil that can be converted into ethanol and biodiesel. In fact, 40-50 percent of the body weight of certain algal strains can be oil. And if grown in the proper conditions, algal colonies can double in volume overnight. These factors explain why there are now over 30 companies around the world harvesting algae for fuel.
The point about photosynthesis is synthesis, i.e. the putting together of several molecules to make more useful substances, developments in photosynthesis are mainly intended to produce reactions that make different substances than the sugars made by plants and this involves using parts of the solar spectrum other than the two narrow bands from the solar spectrum used by plants.
Plants are green because this is the light they don't use that is being reflected away, and this waste of light is far from efficient.
The key to photovoltaic cells that can compete with fossil fuels is to use the full solar spectrum instead of only part of it as plants do.
ScienceDaily (Apr. 28, 2008) —
Imagine a technology that would not only provide a green and renewable source of electrical energy, but could also help scrub the atmosphere of excessive carbon dioxide resulting from the burning of fossil fuels. That’s the promise of artificial versions of photosynthesis, the process by which green plants have been converting solar energy into electrochemical energy for millions of years. To get there, however, scientists need a far better understanding of how Nature does it, starting with the harvesting of sunlight and the transporting of this energy to electrochemical reaction centers.
“To fully understand how the energy-transfer system in photosynthesis works, you can’t just study the spatial landscape of these pigment-protein complexes, you also need to study the electronic energy landscape. This has been a challenge because the electronic energy landscape is not confined to a single molecule but is spread out over an entire system of molecules,” said Graham Fleming, a physical chemist who holds joint appointments with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) at Berkeley, who is the leader of an ongoing effort to discover how plants are able to transfer energy through a network of pigment-protein complexes with nearly 100-percent efficiency. “Our new 2D electronic spectroscopy technique has enabled us to move beyond the imaging of structures and to start imaging functions. This makes it possible for us to examine the crucial aspects of the energy-transfer system that enable it to work the way it does.
The paper, entitled “Visualization of Excitonic Structure in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson Photosynthetic Complex by Polarization-Dependent Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy,” was co-authored by Elizabeth Read, along with Gabriela Schlau-Cohen, Gregory Engel, Jianzhong Wen and Robert Blankenship. It was published in the Biophysical Journal.
Read More: Artificial Photosynthesis Moves A Step Closer
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May 14, 2008
Scientists at Bangor University are trying to copy the way that leaves create energy. As leaves, nature's most efficient form of solar energy production, are bursting into view all around us, the Bangor scientists are investigating whether it is possible to replicate plant life's ability to turn sunlight into energy.
The Bangor team, led by Dr Peter Holliman from the School of Chemistry, are set to begin a feasibility study into 'biosolar energy', or harnessing the sun's energy potential. using the same methods as used by plant-life- photosynthesis in newly designed solar cells. The potential for this type of technology is substantial- photosynthesis is sufficiently effective to support a huge range of plant-based life on earth. The technology would be substantially different in approach to current solar technologies, and has the potential to be more cost-effective. The question is how practical is it to replicate this process outside the plant cell and to scale-up to produce a 'super-leaf' that would produce more energy? Their research is funded by a one year grant from the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
"We remember from our schooldays that photosynthesis operates by light being absorbed by the leaf. The process then captures solar energy when water is split into oxygen, protons and electrons. This takes place in the chloroplast of cells which are held in plant leaves. Within these chloroplasts, lie membranes where photosynthesis takes place," said Dr Peter Holliman. "We aim to test the feasibility of extracting the membranes from within the cell and attaching them to electrodes to create efficient low cost solar energy harvesters. It is already known that such solar cells are capable of generating very small currents from sunlight. Here we are aiming to increase these currents in order to develop a viable commercial technology."
The Bangor project team involves experts in biological chemistry (Dr Lorrie Murphy -Chemistry) and Dr Graham Ormondroyd and Gwenda Davies (BC -- a research Centre within Bangor University) and in solar energy (Dr Holliman and a newly appointed post-doctoral researcher - Dr Udaya Ketipearachchi from Sri Lanka).
Source: News Wales > Environment > Copying how leaves turn sunshine into energy
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<=">Algae from the Ocean: Sustainable Energy Source?
<=">ScienceDaily (<=">June 28, 2008<=">)<="> —
Research by two Kansas State University scientists could help with the large-scale cultivation and manufacturing of oil-rich algae in oceans for biofuel. Zhijian Pei, associate professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, and Wenqiao Yuan, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering, have received a $98,560 Small Grant for Exploratory Research from the National Science Foundation to study solid carriers for manufacturing algae biofuels in the ocean.
Algae are a diverse and simple group of organisms that live in or near water. Certain algal species are high in oil content that could be converted into such fuels as biodiesel, according to Pei and Yuan. Algae also have several environmentally-friendly advantages over corn or other plants used for biofuels, including not needing soil or fresh water to grow.
Pei and Yuan plan to identify attributes of algae and properties of materials that enable growth of certain algae species on solid carriers. Solid carriers float on the water surface for algae to attach to and grow on. "Not all materials are equally suitable to make these carriers," Yuan said. "Some materials are better for algal attachment and growth than others, and we will be identifying what those 'good' materials are." The project could help with the design of major equipment for manufacturing algae biofuels from the ocean, including solid carriers, in-the-ocean algae harvesting equipment and oil extraction machines, Pei said. "This research aims to develop a cost-effective process for growing algae on solid carriers in the ocean for biofuel manufacturing," he said.
The research will be conducted with a two-step approach. "Selected algae species will be grown on solid carriers in a simulated ocean environment and will be evaluated for their ability to attach to solid carriers and grow in seawater, their biomass productivity, and their oil content," Pei said. "Top-ranked species in step one will be selected to test the performance of several carrier materials, including natural organic, synthetic organic and inorganic materials, with the same evaluation parameters as in step one."
Pei said the properties of the highly-ranked carriers also will be analyzed. Yuan, who has studied biodiesel for several years, said the major problem with making the fuel has been finding sustainable oil and fat sources. "Algae seems to be the only promising sustainable oil source for biodiesel production," he said. "In my lab, we have several different projects involving algae and we have been trying different ways to grow it. We have already obtained some encouraging results."
Source: Algae From The Ocean May Offer A Sustainable Energy Source Of The Future
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Can someone please offer light on process of creating energy from algae? I heard algae is to be burnt to get their shells opened up to get oil? Donno if its true but it would be immensely pathetic thing to do.
Kill micro organisms to get electricity/energy.
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What next? now we have the society for the prevention of cruelty to algae.
I suppose cruelty to Iraqis is preferable in his eyes?
rcw
This has been the biggest problem with the human beings, we think that right to live peaceful life is only given to. We can do whatever we want with other organisms. We have been killing animals, fishes logging trees and doing all sorts of stuff but where are we today?
Whatever the so called progress has given is creating more problems which are much more complex than any in history.
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Kill micro organisms to get electricity/energy.
Whatever the so called progress has given is creating more problems which are much more complex than any in history.
This is not really about the "morality" of using plants and animals for various purposes, but genuine issues related to energy crisis, etc. The point is that regardless of the "cruelty to algae" it is still a preferable source of biomass for energy, than other materials such as food crops.
Also, algae are (simple, non-flowering) green plants (such as seaweed), I don't think they have "shells"...
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That's why I had asked to put some light on extraction of energy from algae. Moreover I still maintain my point, its not only humans who have right to live.
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These should contain some information on the extraction of oil, biodiesel etc, from algae:
In terms of humans not being the only species with a right to live, that is not at all by choice – sustainability (as it pertains to human life) depends on the reality that “large numbers of small organisms are necessary to support smaller numbers of large organisms”. That "energy pyramid" is not something we (or any other species higher up the food chain) have any real choice about, and (in principle) there is nothing inherently immoral or intrinsically unnatural about this reality; it is more a question of scale and intensity, in relation to discretion and control, etc.
(…rights + privileges <> duties + responsibilities…)
However, in the case of the present global issues - energy crisis, food crisis, environmental uncertainty (weather / climate) the reality is that instead of condemning the cause - we have to deal with the tangible effects that have already taken place (and to the extent possible mitigate further damage). So certain trade-offs are necessary.
In any case, I believe that they intend to focus on specific types of algae specially cultivated for the purpose, it is not about random scraping of all species of macro-algae and seaweed off the rocks on the coastline...
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(…rights + privileges <> duties + responsibilities…)
However, in the case of the present global issues - energy crisis, food crisis, environmental uncertainty (weather / climate) the reality is that instead of condemning the cause - we have to deal with the tangible effects that have already taken place (and to the extent possible mitigate further damage). So certain trade-offs are necessary.
In any case, I believe that they intend to focus on specific types of algae specially cultivated for the purpose, it is not about random scraping of all species of macro-algae and seaweed off the rocks on the coastline...
Eating non-veg food is a different issue for residents of deserts or greenland or alaska. But for all the other human beings there are alternatives.
Killing them to keep up your so called development isn't right. We don't want to change slightest pattern of our lifestyle but are ready to kill others for the same. That's not justice.
Moreover talking here of Energy Pyramid is usless. We can't and shouldn't act like wild animals who kill smaller animals for their hunger. They don't do it for fun. We strictly shouldn't compare our activities with these animals who can't understand a thing.
Above all penalty for killing 1 or 100 or 1000 is the same. So its not question of whether we are killing entire species.
In simple terms: We are using FAT from Algae to get some oil/ethanol.
It really stinks.
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