Organism Uses Solar Energy to Produce Hydrogen

Stan Freeman writes "CNET is reporting that Stanford University researchers have discovered a soil microorganism that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. They are trying to adapt this naturally occurring anaerobic organism into one that can survive in a more normal environment. There is some more information on biological water splitting here on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) web site."

Comments

Re:Cost measurements?

[Salis]

But it's much cheaper to mass produce organisms that perform electrolysis than to build solar panels.

Especially if the organism is photosynthetic (like the algae they mention). Add water, carbon, nitrate sources, and plenty of sunlight. And the organisms are easily transportable (unlike a bulky solar panel).

Re:Cost measurements?

[leonardluen]

you are forgetting something. it doesn't have to beat current forms of solar energy, that isn't the purpose. it only needs to beat current forms of hydrogen production. it doesn't matter how efficiently it collects solar energy, as long as it costs less resources to use this to produce hydrogen. and for these purposes the sun should be considered a free resource because it will be there whether or not we use it.