Stanford researchers harvest electricity from algae, unkempt pools become gold mines
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted April 15th 2010 12:49PM
posted April 15th 2010 12:49PM
While we've seen plenty of stabs at viable green energy, from underwater turbines to the Bloom Box, we're always up for another. Running along the same lines as Uppsala University's algae-based batteries, researchers at Stanford are generating electrical current by tapping into the electron activity of individual algae cells. The team designed a gold electrode that can be pushed through a cell membrane, which then seals around it. The cell, still alive, does what it does best (photosynthesis), at which point scientists harvest chemical energy in the form of electrons. According to Stanford University News, this results in "electricity production that doesn't release carbon into the atmosphere. The only byproducts of photosynthesis are protons and oxygen." Of course, the team has a long way to go before this is economically feasible, but who knows? Maybe there's an algae-powered OPhone in your future...
Very promising...
Scientist better find a new energy source to replace oil or WW3 will come soon.
This isnt new. It has been done for a long time now..
Not new. But it IS very EXCITING. I hope they can figure out a way to do this affordably soon.
no carbon? what about when the algae your growing to create the electricity dies? you have to grow more and more and more- thats all made out of carbon. i suppose you could bury it....or reform it into bio diesel
Is that a photo from Vietnam?
Am i the only one that sees a green dragon in that lake!?
sooo, we are killing living things instead of burning dead rocks?
Whooo-hoooo!
...i wouldn't agree that that's a modern approach at all...
p.s.
i dont expect ANY of you to agree with me either...
Unless you only eat rocks i think you'll have a hard time justifying your stance for not using living things as a source of energy.
@artist
It isn't killing the algae -> that would defeat the point. It's more like microscopic slavery.
I have to say, however, replacing people with algae would make for a VERY boring Matrix reboot.
@ifinoxonifi
wow. what about solar? ever heard of that? didn't think so.
Essentially this is solar energy, who knows if solar panels will be as efficient by the time there done with this.
Well done on use of the word 'unkempt'.