Current solar panels are inefficient and contain toxic substances.Alternative approaches utilizing plant molecules such as chlorophyll may lead to improvements
Current solar panels are not very efficient. Only up to about 20% of solar energy can be converted into electricity. As a result, generating a lot of electricity requires a lot of space for the panels, which can lead to deforestation and even farms being replaced by solar power. If solar panels were more efficient, a much smaller panel could produce the same amount of power without requiring the same amount of land.
To create more efficient solar panels, Lahari Saha, in Professor Chris D. Geddes’ lab at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, has developed a unique technology that harnesses plants’ ability to convert sunlight into chemicals. We are working on making electricity in a way. She uses biomolecules such as chlorophyll, which are excellent at absorbing sunlight, to generate energy. Saha will present her work on Wednesday, February 22nd at the 67th Annual Biophysical Meeting in San Diego, California.
Their goal is to use biomolecules to generate electricity that can be collected to power devices or stored in batteries for later use. This process involves exploiting the fluorescence of molecules. “Any kind of molecule that fluoresces will give off light. When you excite a fluorophore, its energy is transferred to the metal nanoparticles, which, if the particles are close enough to each other, knock off electrons and produce an electrical current. I will,” he explained Saha. The process isn’t limited to molecules that fluoresce, he explained, but only requires highly light-absorbing substances such as chlorophyll, beta-carotene and lutein. All of these are relatively cheap and easily extracted from plants.
Another advantage of this kind of fluorescent-based solar panels is that they are easy to recycle. Solar panels currently rely on expensive materials such as silicon and contain toxic elements such as lead and cadmium. In most states, disposing of solar panels is considered hazardous waste. But Saha hopes her solar panels will be mostly plant-based molecules and other materials that are more prevalent, like copper. She added that by choosing long-lasting materials, she hopes the solar panels will last long before they are scrapped.
But Saha’s main goal is to make more efficient solar panels. She hopes that smaller solar panels will allow farms to maximize food production and sustain forests rather than generate energy.
Original: Harvesting solar energy using plant molecules
Than: University of Maryland Baltimore County
