Researchers Develop a Way to Turn Co2 Into Fuel Using Artificial Photosynthesis

Scientists from the University of Illinois have developed a way to use solar technology to turn C02 into cheap, efficient energy.

The method borrows from nature by using an artificial leaf outfitted with solar cells that can mimic photosynthesis. The leaf can draw in carbon dioxide, and process it to be used as a synthetic fuel for various purposes, according to Engadget.

Amin Salehi-Khojin, the study’s lead author, notes that the leaf’s cells are “photosynthetic,” and not photovoltaic like traditional solar panels.

“Instead of producing energy in an unsustainable one-way route from fossil fuels to greenhouse gas, we can now reverse the process and recycle atmospheric carbon into fuel using sunlight,” Salehi-Khojin said in a statement.

This artificial “leaf” uses sunlight as a catalyst to power a chemical reaction, similar to an actual plant. But instead of converting carbon dioxide into sugar, the researcher’s leaf converts the CO2 to a synthetic gas mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, according to CS Monitor.

This synthetic gas mixture could potentially be used to power vehicles at a comparable cost to gasoline — and the researchers hope the technology could make fossil fuel obsolete.

Along with serving as a traditional fuel source, the gas could also be converted into diesel or other hydrocarbon fuel, CS Monitor reported.

Researchers have long been trying to use artificial photosynthesis as a way of producing fuel. Last year, a team at Berkeley developed a similar process using E. coli bacteria to produce acetate — a compound that can be used in biofuel and biodegradable plastics, according to Engadget.

These artificial leaves could be integrated within solar farms, or used in smaller-scale applications. Theoretically, networks of these leaves could create sustainable fuel, while reducing carbon dioxide within the atmosphere, the researchers said.

The only caveat to the technology is that, by using the synthetic gas, we would still be releasing pollutants into the atmosphere. But the technology could still be a promising way to combat climate change by offering an economical and eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuels.