Could Liquid Fuel be the Future of Solar Energy?

Researchers have discovered a new technology that might just give solar panels a run for their money. Harvard researchers found a way to convert solar energy into a liquid fuel that could potentially outperform rooftop panels and at a fraction of the cost, making solar financing easier and more reasonable for customers around the world. Demands for low cost and energy-efficient renewable sources are high, meaning liquid solar energy could just be the future fix.

The ‘Bionic Leaf’ Concept

The Harvard Research team has developed an artificial leaf — a bionic leaf — that produces oxygen and hydrogen. Bacteria then consume the hydrogen gas and covert it to protons and electrons that are eventually integrated into carbon dioxide as part of the reproductive cycle of the bacteria.

So what do all those fancy scientific terms really mean? Basically, when the bionic leaf is submerged into water, it mimics the act of photosynthesis, meaning it can harvest solar energy and store it in a liquid form.

A Future Solution

While solar energy gets more efficient and cheap every year, as more people seek to incorporate renewable energy into their lifestyles, financing and efficiency become more of a concern.

Throughout the past four years the cost of solar has continually dropped, but some still consider solar paneling to be a large investment. Liquid solar energy could be the solution to these problems, for it’s said to be cheaper to produce as well as easier to handle and store than solar panels.

Possible Uses

The two biggest possible future applications for the liquid fuel are windows and solar paint. First, the groundbreaking invention holds promise for turning ordinarily functioning windows into an electric socket by applying a film layer to the window. The technology is not on the market or in financing plans but could be in the future.

There’s also a lot of talk about solar paint. With more research, solar paints will become more than just a concept but a real life solar energy application. So look out rooftop panels, liquid fuel might just give you a run for your money.

Alyssa Koenig is a renewable energy writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Elements Capital Group. Follow on Twitter.