Nature Tech: Simulating Photosynthesis for renewable energy

Posted by Vineet Apr 20, 2012 Last Updated Apr 20, 2012
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Nature, while being the incubator of the human species, has been forsaken and pulverized – every inch of it. Every visible benediction of mother nature has been exploited and abused. The shocks and aftershocks are just starting to make themselves visible. The plundering of natural resources have continued for too long to be ignored any further. Exploding population and dwindling energy reservoirs have left a much less pleasant Earth for the next generation.

But, like all mothers, nature continues to be forgiving and is always willing to guide us towards a more sensible future. There is intelligence to be tapped at every step of the way – only if we know how to adopt and adapt to our natural surroundings. Like animals, plants are coexisting with us and helping us survive (while we continue to get rid of them).

In a recent research activity by the scientists of Dept. of Chemistry, Royal Inst. of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden, – photosynthesis as a source of renewable energy is being practically evaluated for bulk simulation.

Simulating Photosynthesis…

The research team at KTH have managed to construct a molecular catalyzer that can oxidize water to oxygen very rapidly. The best part of this research is the speed of oxidization – according to the reports, the team has been able to match the speeds of natural photosynthesis. This is indeed a welcome scientific outcome considering that the researchers in Japan, US and EU have been trying to simulate nature’s photosynthesis for almost 30 years now.

  • Nature’s photosynthesis speed: 100 – 400 turnovers / sec
  • KTH simulated photosynthesis speed: 300 turnovers / sec

 

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