As the demand for solar power is growing all around the world, scientists develop new technologies for cheaper and more efficient solar energy production. The Hydrogen Club at Oregon University is currently focused mainly on three approaches to solar energy production, namely: bacterial approach, chemical approach (ie. heating up to 1000 degrees to produce hydrogen from water) and the method using microbes to break down waste molecules in water and produce hydrogen as well as a stream of clean water.

Among all, the bacterial method sounds the most appealing to me as it is 100% natural and more promising to be affordable by a larger segment of the world’s population.

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The name the protogonists is “cyanobacteria”. Cyanobacteria have an elaborate and highly organized system of internal membranes that function in photosynthesis. And, as a part of this photosynthesis cyanobacteria produce hydrogen. Moreover, it doesn’t need direct or high levels of sunlight.

It incorporates the use of either organic or sulfur compounds as electron donors in photosystem. Unlike in the case of plant photosynthesis, cyclic photophosphorylation takes place in bacterial photosynthesis, i.e. electrons are repeatedly excited in a cyclic manner, with ATP being generated in each cycle. Photosynthetic bacteria are also capable of reducing electron carriers such as NAD, via a linear reaction similar to the electron transmission which occurs during plant photosynthesis. (from Energy conversion by photosynthetic organisms)

Thus, The Hydrogen Club members envision bacteria based solar panels (such as large sheets of gel) to be hung all sides  of buildings as a future solar power generation system which could work even on cloudy days.

However, certain health risks are indicated for mass-reproduction of cyanobacteria, and an accurate assessment of the risks is not available. Certain cyanobacteria produce cyanotoxins including anatoxin-a, anatoxin-as, aplysiatoxin, cylindrospermopsin, domoic acid, microcystin LR, nodularin R (from Nodularia), or saxitoxin. Sometimes a mass-reproduction of cyanobacteria results in algal blooms. (For more information you may read the article “Cyanobacteria, their toxins and health risks”)

The demand for energy is projected to increase by 50% in 20 years. There is no way to meet this need by nuclear or fossil sources, while an hour of sunshine provides the power earth need for one whole year. Different geographies necessitate different technologies and energy tools. One of them could be the .
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