Finding clean power sources has been a scientific goal for decades. Some have tried to find ways to generate electricity from nuclear fusion, while others have looked in a different direction: carbon-neutral power solutions. But now, scientists may have gone a step further and developed a source of power that is carbon-negative.
be New research paper Published in the journal energyResearchers have succeeded in creating a renewable energy source using algae, a process that essentially hijacks photosynthesis, the natural process by which plants turn carbon dioxide into food.
By suspending the algae in a 2mm solution in anode and cathode chambers and separating them with a honeycomb-shaped proton exchange membrane, the researchers found they could extract energy from the plants, and what’s more, the power source is a completely carbon-negative technology.
Because the only by-product produced is water, and the entire process starts with the capture of carbon dioxide, meaning it’s not just a zero-emissions technology, it actually captures carbon from the atmosphere and doesn’t emit any more carbon.
The whole process works by capturing the electrons that the algae produce during photosynthesis and using them to generate electricity. So far, the researchers have only found that the maximum terminal voltage they can get from a single micro-photosynthetic power cell is 1.0V.
So scaling up a carbon-negative source of electricity to actually power a city is another matter entirely. But with enough research and development, scientists believe it could be scaled up to power an entire city and significantly reduce carbon emissions.
And because the researchers aren’t using any harmful gases or microfibers, they don’t have to worry about additional disposal issues in the long run — something we’re currently grappling with due to the difficulties of disposing of the silicon computer chips used to control many of today’s power systems.