Low carbon energy production. Artificial photosynthesis
Amina Akhmetbekova, 10th grade student of Nazarbaev Intellectual school of Astana
If we look at history of human being, we can see that human has been developed through
the understanding of the world around them. They have learned many things from the nature.
For example the helicopters, airplanes, Velcro. However, they went with wrong way of
employing the nature as the source of the resources for the energy. They are called fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels are very common source of energy today. For example: oil, coal etc. Because of
them our cars can go, houses are warm and electricity is passing. Nevertheless, it also cause
very negative effect for the nature and human health. While burning the fossil fuel the carbon
dioxide is released. Big amount of this gas cause the greenhouse effect and it leads to global
warming. In addition, it affects the health of the people, because we breathe the polluted air
and it spoils our organisms. Not only people’s but every living creature’s body that is why it is
global problem. We need a new source of energy that we can use for a long time and it will not
cause ecological problems. The solution is new renewable source of energy called artificial
photosynthesis.
Artificial photosynthesis system could potentially create an endless, relatively inexpensive
supply of all the clean "gas" and electricity we need to power our lives -- and in a storable form,
too. If we look on the nature’s creatures, the best example of the source of renewable energy it
is photosynthesis, or the conversion of sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into the usable fuel,
emitting useful oxygen gas in the process.” Using nothing but sunlight as the energy input,
plants perform massive energy conversions, turning 1,102 billion tons (1,000 billion metric tons)
of CO2 into organic matter, i.e., energy for animals in the form of food, every year. And that's
only using 3 percent of the sunlight that reaches Earth.” (Layton, 2013) Scientists were inspired
by the ability of plant to photosynthesize that is why they tried to mimic the method of
producing the energy using only carbon dioxide, water and sunlight or the artificial
photosynthesis. The photosynthesis is based on the oxidation and reduction, which is activated
by the sun energy.
The main products of the artificial photosynthesis are oxygen, hydrogen, and methanol. All
three products have their own value in present. Oxygen is very important for breathing for the
living things, even some plants breathe with oxygen at night. Hydrogen and methanol are very
good fuels. Professor MacFarlane said: “We have created a photo-catalyst based on copper
oxide, the surface of which is decorated with tiny carbon dots of about 2 nano-metres in size.
This nano-composite material can directly convert carbon dioxide dissolved in water to
methanol using only sunlight as the energy source. Methanol is directly useful as a fuel and can
also be the building-block for many complex carbon compounds such as plastics and
pharmaceuticals." (How artificial photosynthesis works: energy from sunlight, 2014)I another
case the artificial photosynthesis can produce liquid hydrogen fuel. The hydrogen fuel is used in
some models of cars like Chevrolet Equinox, the BMW 745h and the one that's currently
available for lease in California, the Honda FCX. (Lampton, How hydrogen cars works) It could
also be funneled into a fuel-cell setup, which would effectively reverse the photosynthesis
process, creating electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen into water. Hydrogen fuel cells
can generate electricity, so we would use it to run our air conditioning and water heaters.
The main advantage of the AP is that it can reduce the amount of the carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere and transfer it into the oxygen and water, which gives a possibility for future
reducing of the ozone holes, hence no harmful ultraviolet radiation. In addition, The AP system
can produce different types of the fuels, just by changing the catalyst on the photo
electrochemical cell. For example, now we can produce two types, but with a development of
this resource, in future we may produce many different types of fuels. The AP system is also
uses renewable sources for energy production, such as water, carbondioxyde and light.
Unfortunately, the photosynthesis has own disadvantages, because the process is needed in
source of energy, but to use light we should spent energy for electricity. Another negative side
is that there is a few devices around the world that can use the produces fuels, because most of
them use the fossil fuels. Another question that we should answer is: are products of the AP
dangerous? Yes, they a dangerous, but like fossil fuels. They both are contained in special tanks,
but usage is the same. (Lampton, Danger of hydrogen, 2013)
Of course, to build some artificial photosynthesis stations or something like that we will
need machines and equipment that works on the fossil fuel, and may be provide energy for the
beginning period, but in my opinion, it is not a big expenditure, because everything will be
justified later.
If we will use the energy produced by the artificial photosynthesis, it will make some
changes in our usual way of life. First, it will decrease the environmental problems of pollution,
greenhouse effect and living creature’s health condition. Another example is that trees around
the world will be freer from their responsibility of photosynthesis, because during air pollutions
they cannot produce energy (food) even for themselves. In my opinion, humanity will have
weighty changes in the world economy. The main reason is transition of the fabrics and
factories from the fossil working production to the hydrogen or methanol working production,
which may cause big spending. Also, it is very useful way to change the “atmosphere” and give
people new ideas for projects, investments, hence more new output, profit and income.
Kazakhstan has good opportunities to begin the artificial photosynthesis energy
production; because we have a lot of place and the scientific exhibition, EXPO-2017 can help as
to produce green energy.
Artificial photosynthesis is a good alternative for the high-carbon energy production. It as
the new way of producing the energy, which was discovered not so longtime ago at the end of
the 20 century, needs development and firstly- testing. If we will begin to use in small usual
things like heating of house, petrol for car etc. After that, the experiment will slowly spread
around the world. Of course, at the beginning we had to use technology that uses the fossil
fuels, but after that, the expenditures will be justified. In my opinion, the artificial
photosynthesis is an energy of the future technology innovations.
Bibliography
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http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alternative-fuels/hydrogen-vehicle-danger1.htm
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http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/hybrid-technology/hydrogen-cars.htm
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photosynthesis:
http://web.stanford.edu/group/mota/education/Physics%2087N%20Final%20Projects/Group%
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