How Photosynthesis Works Solar Panels

Artificial photosynthesis on the other hand could produce a storable fuel.

How photosynthesis works solar panels. The energy of the photon is used to move an electron in the chlorophyll molecule to a higher orbit and that electron moves to another molecule. Photovoltaic pv cells that turn it into flowing electrons or photosynthetic plant cells that turn it. The direct conversion of sunlight to electricity in photovoltaic cells makes solar power a weather and time dependent energy which decreases its utility and increases its price. This donation of an electron is the energy imput that starts the whole chain of reactions going.

Plants use the sun s light energy photons in a process called photosynthesis in order to produce their own food. While photosynthesis is a plant based chemical process solar cells or photovoltaic cells are man made and convert solar energy into electricity. A natural process that occurs during photosynthesis could lead to the design of more efficient artificial solar cells according to researchers at georgia state university. Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units.

This means that both plants and solar panels gather energy from the sun and convert it into something else. As mentioned at the beginning of this section life on earth is primarily fueled by solar radiation energy. Simply put a solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons free from atoms generating a flow of electricity. Photosynthesis starts when a photon a tiny packet of light is absorbed by a molecule of chlorophyll.

Scientists are now adapting the photosynthetic process to improve the way we harness solar. Solar cells convert it into electricity and plant cells convert it into chemical energy and it requires no solar financing. A recent paper published in nature catalysis this year discusses a technique whereby photovoltaic panels are hooked up to a device that electrolyzes carbon dioxide. For capturing the sun s copious energy there are basically two available engineering models.

Photosynthesis is the process where plants use sunlight to generate oxygen. How photosynthesis is inspiring solar power research. Then a microbe that respires anaerobically converts carbon dioxide and water alongside the electrical energy collected from the solar panels into butanol.