Taking a leaf out of plants’ books
Learning to mimic natural photosynthesis on an industrial scale might open the door to a fossil fuel-free future. Nina Notman investigates
We have created a global climate emergency and our reliance on fossil fuels is largely to blame. To save our planet, our global love affair with fossil fuels must end – fast.
We can now produce electricity without emitting carbon dioxide, and carbon-neutral electricity production methods are ever more common place. But practical and cost issues mean that coal and natural gas continue to dominate in most parts of the world. Renewable energy, such as that from wind turbines, solar panels and hydroelectric power stations, for example, has problems with intermittency, storage and portability.
Biofuels are a step in the right direction. But carbon-neutral alternatives with properties indistinguishable to those from fossil fuels are not yet available. One technology is, however, edging ever closer to making these a reality: artificial photosynthesis. Chemical fuels produced by artificial photosynthesis would be basically the same as those from fossil fuels.