To combat climate change, the world by the end of the century should reach carbon neutrality level according to experts. To reach the goal, one of the solutions is to find other source of fossil fuels to produce energy. Scientists present this new alternative - algae.
Researchers from the Concordia University found a new technology that can produce electrical energy from these blue green algae through transfer of electron chains during photosynthesis and respiration. "By trapping the electrons released by blue-green algae during photosynthesis and respiration, we can harness the electrical energy they produce naturally," lead author Muthukumaran Packirisamy said in a statement.
As of the moment, the photosynthetic power cell is present on a small scale and consists of anode, cathode and proton exchange membrane. To undergo photosynthesis, researchers put the blue green algae in the anode surface, and then electrons are expelled in the electrode chamber. Connected to the device, the team attached an external load that draw outs electrons and channel power.
"By taking advantage of a process that is constantly occurring all over the world, we've created a new and scalable technology that could lead to cheaper ways of generating carbon-free energy," Packirisamy said. Given the very promising energy and abundant source of algae, the team aims to use the new green micro-photosynthetic power cells in different electronic devices like computers and cell phones.
However, the team admitted that the experiment is still at its early phase and further testing is needed. "We have a lot of work to do in terms of scaling the power cell to make the project commercial," Packirisamy said.
