Thanks to a nature-like photosynthetic process, researchers at Cambridge University have been able to produce fuel. An innovative and promising result for the energy sector.
It floats across the water like a water lily, but it is not a real plant. This is the latest innovation from Cambridge, where a group of researchers have come together to explore environmentally friendly solutions for fuel production. After an initial prototype in 2019, the project has now seen its breakthrough - with the help of an artificial leaf.
The team, led by Dr Virgil Andrei, has developed leaf-like structures that rest on water and could be used in fuel production in a climate-neutral way. This is because the leaf-shaped mini power plants can produce valuable fuel from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide without any further action. The process is very similar to natural photosynthesis, which is responsible for converting light energy into chemical energy in plants.
Specifically, the plastic sheets consisting of thin-film metal oxides and perovskites can produce two fuels at the same time, namely hydrogen from the water splitting process and synthesis gas from carbon dioxide. This is precisely why the project shows particular promise. Especially now that advances in nanotechnology have optimised the blades' manoeuvrability and performance.
"These blades combine the advantages of most solar fuel technologies," says Andrei. "They achieve high performance while remaining compatible with modern manufacturing techniques," the researcher continues. That the project represents a first step towards automating and scaling solar fuel production is something he can well imagine.
Just as solar farms became popular for electricity generation, the team believes that leaf plants for fuel synthesis could also become popular. Not only because of their function in the fuel industry, but also as a supply system for, say, remote places and islands. Leaves could even make a useful contribution in preventing the evaporation of irrigation canals.
Although there is of course still a long way to go before such a project can be implemented on a large scale, the news from Cambridge gives hope for a green energy transition. Before we can talk about a truly sustainable design of various areas of life - such as transport - the eco-transformation must first and foremost take place in the energy and fuel production sectors. Because if these continue to be based on fossil resources, all climate-friendly efforts lose effectiveness and value.