Plug Into a Plant: a New Approach To Clean Energy Harvesting 80
cylonlover writes "Millions of years have evolution has resulted in plants being the most efficient harvesters of solar energy on the planet. Much research is underway into ways to artificially mimic photosynthesis in devices like artificial leaves, but researchers at the University of Georgia are working on a different approach that gives new meaning to the term 'power plant.' Their technology harvests energy generated through photosynthesis before the plants can make use of it (abstract), allowing the energy to instead be used to run low-powered electrical devices."
The Potato Clock? (Score:5, Interesting)
It sounds like a new approach to the Potato clock.
However I would like to point out the trade off. If you are going to produce energy with plants, (Sound green and all) but you will probably need to strip forests to give enough sunlight, as well as irrigation. For these plants that will not grow too much, because most of their energy is being taken away. You are better off growing switchgrass or other material to produce energy.
Re:Photo synthesis is not all that efficient. (Score:4, Interesting)
Except they're apparently harvesting the photosynthetic structures from plants and then incorporating them in something resembling a dye-sensitized solar cell using some exotic carbon nanotube substrate. That's not self-assembling, and given the lack of any cellular repair mechanisms, probably not very long-lasting.