Israeli scientists reported that they had found a method of producing hydrogen from plants. They hope that new technology will allow the use of plants as a source of energy. The discovery was made in the laboratory of tel Aviv University, in the experiment, the researchers used microalgae.
“To connect any device to the power source, it is necessary to find a point of connection. In the case of plants, we just didn’t know how to do it”, – says the head of the University laboratory of renewable energy yiftah Jacobi.
In their experiment, the scientists introduced into microalgae enzyme hydrogenase, which allowed them to actively produce hydrogen is well known to the energy source. First it was thought that the algae produce hydrogen while a single peak response, which occurs at dawn. However, the observations of the tel Aviv researchers have shown that this process is accompanied by traditional photosynthesis throughout the day. Achievement of the team Jacoby was the fact that they were able to use genetic tools to increase the production of such hydrogen at 400 percent.
Jacoby warns that it may require up to 20 years before this technology is fully developed and commercialized. Data of the study were published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.
Source Phys.org