Engineering and Biomimetics: Harnessing Light Energy for Sustainability

摘要

In recent years, researchers and engineers have recognized the necessity of harnessing alternative renewable sources of energy that focuses on sustainability and efficiency before the existing non- renewable sources deplete. Biomimetic that imitates nature’s most successful developments to solve complex human challenges [1] could be utilized to harness alternative renewable energy in order to accustom to the ever increasing demand of the exponential growth of population. For example, mimicking the photosynthesis process performed by green plants solar energy can be harnessed and synthesized to produce fuels for transportation, industry and electricity generation. Scientists have recently attempted to develop artificial photosynthesis process, where sunlight is harvested and used to chemically convert H,O and CO, into two solar fuels namely, hydrogen fuel and carbon-based fuel such as methane, carbon monoxide and methanol [2]. This process is termed as CO, reduction and is executed by using solar-derived hydrogen as a reducing agent [3]. The produced solar fuels can then be utilized in transportation, electricity generation, and production of fertilizers, plastics etc.