Chilean Scientists Harness Seaweed for Green Energy

September 6, 2024



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Slimy, green seaweed floats in water-filled beakers, buckets and bins in the University of Santiago's labs, algae which scientists in the Chilean capital are trying to turn into an efficient power source.

Their field is biophotovoltaics, which uses a photosynthetic organism such as seaweed to convert light into electrical energy. The scientists spread the seaweed onto electrodes on biophotovoltaic panels, similar to the solar type.

"Algae use light to oxidize water, and in the process they release electrons," said project leader Federico Tasca, adding that these can then be picked up in electric circuits, with the oxygen released in the process an added benefit.

Similar projects before have used microalgae, which are single-celled organisms, while seaweed is a macroalga, or multicellular organism, Tasca said.

"Macroalgae are more hardy, easier to work with, easier to harvest," Tasca said, while acknowledging that the process was still far from being energy efficient.

More:
https://www.marinetechnologynews.com/news/chilean-scientists-harness-seaweed-639874