Experts find new way to turn solar energy into liquid fuel

Researchers at Harvard University have found a new way to turn solar energy into a form of liquid fuel, a report says.

The new approach relies on a lab-engineered bacterium, namely Ralstonia eutropha, according to an article in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

In the process, a sort of artificial leaf splits the sunlight into hydrogen and oxygen. Then, the bacterium combines hydrogen with carbon dioxide to create a liquid fuel called Isopropanol.

The conversion of solar energy into hydrogen had previously been achieved through the use of photovoltaic cells.

The produced hydrogen can even be stored in fuel cells for future use but researchers have failed to make it usable as an energy source for vehicles.

“This is a proof of concept that you can have a way of harvesting solar energy and storing it in the form of a liquid fuel,” said Harvard researcher, Pamela Silver, referring to the new process.

According to the researchers, the project is almost at a 1-percent efficiency rate. They are hoping to upgrade to 5-percent efficiency soon.

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