Spinach and Silicon for Solar PowerCategory: Science &
Technology Posted: September 4, 2012 05:31PM When thinking about
solar power, some may think it is this new technology that has
been developed most extensively in recent times as a clean
energy source. The truth is though that solar power has been in
development for millions and even billions of years. Nature has
been harnessing the power of sunlight for longer than man has
existed, and researchers know that and are trying to take
advantage of that. Photosystem 1 (PS1) is a protein involved in
photosynthesis that can convert sunlight to electrical energy
with almost 100% efficiency; almost three times higher than the
maximum efficiency possible with typical semiconductor solar
cells. This protein also can continue function after it has been
harvested from plants like spinach, but not always for long and
is difficult to integrate with our technology. Researchers at
Vanderbilt University overcame this though by doping the silicon
substrate PS-1 was placed o