MIT researcher Dr Andreas Mershin, from MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms, has figured out a way to make electricity-generating solar cells from green grass.

Organic material—such as grass clippings or agricultural waste—is mixed with stabilizing peptide powder.

Protein—that is essential for photosynthesis—is extracted from the materials and stabilized, and continues to stay green.

The mixture is spread onto a glass or metal surface, and through photosynthesis, it continues to generate electricity.

Mershin says that by using agricultural waste and inexpensive material to create these solar panels, electricity could become affordable and more available to rural places and developing countries.

However, the current system that converts solar power to electricity needs to be first improved.

Currently, Mershin’s and his team’s system is only able to convert 0.1% of solar energy.



[via Inhabitat]


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