Scientists are still looking for new sources of energy as the demand increases and supply decreases. Researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK have used a common species of blue-green algae to power a microprocessor for six months.
The project aims to provide a new option to power small electronic devices. Biochemist Christopher Howe said in a statement that the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) needs increased power that comes from systems that generate energy rather than batteries.
Scientists Used Algae As Living Power Cell For A Basic Computer for Six Months: How Was It Possible?
Algae As a Living Power Source Does Not Run Out of Energy Unlike A Battery
The rapid progress in technology in recent years has also meant more power is needed, and it seems that solar cells are the answer to providing renewable energy.
Batteries are good, but they are often limited. Also, they not only add mass to the device but require costly and toxic substances.
Scientists thought of creating a "living power source" that converts a material from nature, like methane, into a greener and simpler power cell. But this too runs out of food supply.
So, they thought of using algae. According to Science Daily, it provides a middle ground option and acts as a solar cell and living battery that could generate electric current without the nutrient top-ups. The team believes that it can squeeze more power from the rays of the sun.
Howe explained that the photosynthetic device they developed does not run out of energy because it gets its power from sunlight.
They used the photosynthetic device to power the microprocessor Arm Cortex M0+, which is widely used in IoT devices. It was able to provide power in a domestic environment and semi-outdoor conditions with natural light for six months and the results of their experiment were submitted for publication.
Dr. Paolo Bombelli, the first author of the paper, and his team were impressed by the results and how consistently they worked for an extended period.
Algae do not need feeding since it produces their own food via photosynthesis. It can also produce its own food even without sunlight, allowing the device to generate power even in darkness.
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Algae Photosynthetic Device More Practical in the Long Run
The bio-photovoltaic system uses aluminum wool for aside because it is easy to recycle and creates lesser problems for the environment, Science Alert reports. Meanwhile, the strain of algae used is called Synechocystis, which the team chose because it has been well-studied and ubiquitous.
According to the study, IoT only uses a small amount of power, but it is expected to grow to trillions by 2035. By then, it will require a vast number of portable energy sources. However, powering those devices using lithium-ion batteries will be impractical as it will need three times more lithium than produced across the world.
Traditional photovoltaic cells use hazardous materials with adverse environmental effects. Therefore, using a living power source like algae is ideal and practical.
They discuss the findings of the study in full in the paper titled "Powering a Microprocessor by Photosynthesis," published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.
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