Osaka researchers built battery free artificial photosynthesis making formic acid
Researchers in Osaka have built a new artificial photosynthesis system that skips batteries completely. Instead, it turns sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide straight into formic acid, a liquid fuel you can store and use later.
The cool part? It manages sunlight ups and downs on its own, with control/peripheral components, including a pump controller, latching solenoid valve, microprocessor, and DC/DC converter.
Solar powered, produces aqueous formic acid
Tested successfully in Japan in May 2024, this setup uses smart design to run pumps and controls directly from solar panels: no batteries required.
It is energy-efficient and produces a pure aqueous formic acid solution all by itself.
This could be a big step toward making clean, storable fuels from renewable energy, something the planet (and our future) could really use.