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Artificial Photosynthesis: latest research, scientific and technological challenges and technology futures

© acatech

Background and aims

Although techniques for harnessing the sun’s energy have huge potential, the associated scientific and technological challenges have yet to be resolved. A number of different approaches are being pursued in this field. Some aim to increase the efficiency of natural photosynthesis through genetic engineering or synthetic biology, while new biomimetic and carbon-based approaches are currently being explored for photovoltaics applications. This kind of bio-inspired energy research falls somewhere between biotech and nanotech. Light-dependent metal catalysis techniques, for example, involve the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into methanol. Sunlight is absorbed and its energy used to activate CO2, in an approach that combines new catalytic processes with techniques borrowed from nanotechnology and materials research.

The aim of the project is to produce an initial overview highlighting the various research trends in this field and to establish the concrete research requirements in Germany that would make it technically feasible to deploy the technology by around 2050.

Project group members

  • Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h. c. Markus Antonietti
    MPI für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung
  • Prof. Dr. Matthias Beller
    Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e. V.  (Leitung)
  • Prof. Dr. Peter Dabrock
    Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
  • Prof. Dr. Holger Dau
    Freie Universität Berlin
  • Dr. Tobias J. Erb
    MPI für Terrestrische Mikrobiologie
  • Prof. Dr. Bärbel Friedrich
    Stiftung Alfried Krupp Kolleg Greifswald
  • Prof. Dr. Michael Grätzel
    EPFL Lausanne
  • Prof. Dr. Robert Huber
    MPI für Biochemie
  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rupert Klein
    Freie Universität Berlin
  • Prof. Dr. Burkhard König
    Universität Regensburg
  • Prof. Dr. Philipp Kurz
    Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
  • Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Wolfgang Lubitz
    MPI für Chemische Energiekonversion
  • Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Bernd Müller-Röber
    Universität Potsdam
  • Prof. Dr. Hans Peter Peters
    Forschungszentrum Jülich
  • Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Alfred Pühler
    Universität Bielefeld
  • Prof. Dr. Bernhard Rieger
    Technische Universität München
  • Prof. Dr. Matthias Rögner
    Ruhr-Universität Bochum
  • Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Rudolf K. Thauer
    Max-Planck-Institut für Terrestrische Mikrobiologie
  • Prof. Dr. Roel van de Krol
    Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH
  • Prof. Dr. Elizabeth von Hauff
    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Eicke Weber
    Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE

Impressions of the project’s closing event

https://en.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Projekte/Laufende_Projekte/Kuenstliche_Fotosynthese_Akademienprojekt/Gruppenfoto_klein.jpghttps://en.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Projekte/Laufende_Projekte/Kuenstliche_Fotosynthese_Akademienprojekt/IMG_2211.JPGhttps://en.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Projekte/Laufende_Projekte/Kuenstliche_Fotosynthese_Akademienprojekt/Podium.JPGhttps://en.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Projekte/Laufende_Projekte/Kuenstliche_Fotosynthese_Akademienprojekt/Redner_1.jpghttps://en.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Projekte/Laufende_Projekte/Kuenstliche_Fotosynthese_Akademienprojekt/Podium_2.jpghttps://en.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Projekte/Laufende_Projekte/Kuenstliche_Fotosynthese_Akademienprojekt/Praesident.jpghttps://en.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Projekte/Laufende_Projekte/Kuenstliche_Fotosynthese_Akademienprojekt/Praesident_2.jpgPhoto: acatech

Further information

Blog “Lichte Ideen” on ScieceBlogs (german)
Project “Artificial Photosynthesis – Developing Technology Futures”

  • Project duration

    01/2016 — 05/2018

  • Partners

  • Topic

    Energy & Resources

    Biotechnology

News

Berlin, 15 May 2018

Taking a leaf out of nature’s book: Germany’s science academies present position paper on artificial photosynthesis

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Publications

Cover of the publication "Artificial Photosynthesis"

Artificial Photosynthesis. State of Research, Scientific-Technological Challenges and Perspectives

Published: 10 September 2018

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