Algae has long been considered a source of biofuels that could potentially provide a viable alternative to fossil fuels.
Now, a team of researchers has shown that a common species of blue-green algae can also be used to directly power small electronic devices.
The research was a collaboration between Cambridge University and microprocessor design experts ARM.
They used the processor to continuously power a microprocessor for a year, with no extra resources after the initial set-up other than water and ambient light.
The power source that the team created was about the size of a regular AA battery and used a non-toxic type of algae called Synechocystis.
This algae took energy from the sun via the process of photosynthesis, producing a tiny electric current.
The current interacted with an aluminium electrode and was used to power the microprocessor.
As the system is made with cheap, commonly available and largely recyclable materials, it can potentially be replicated hundreds of thousands of times to power large amounts of devices with low power requirements.
Algae-powered devices could be useful for the Internet of Things
This could make it very useful in powering devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), especially in remote areas and off-grid locations.
Senior author Prof Christopher Howe, from the University of Cambridge, said that the IoT required an increasing amount of power and that this could come from systems able to generate their own power, rather than stored power such as batteries.
He added that another benefit of the photosynthetic device was that it wouldn’t run out like a battery, as it continuously generated power from the sunlight.
The year-long experiment saw the algae-based system power an ARM Cortex M0+ microprocessor, which is commonly used in IoT devices.
It was operated in differing conditions, including a domestic environment and a ‘semi-outdoor’ setting, with fluctuations in natural light and temperatures.
The photosynthesis process requires light, but the device was able to provide power even during periods of darkness.
The researchers have posited that this may be because the algae continues to process its food when there is no light, thereby continuing to produce a small electric current.
The IoT already has billions of connected devices, from gadgets such as smartwatches to tiny sensors, and this is expected to grow to a trillion by 2035.
Today’s news was brought to you by TD SYNNEX – the UK’s number one solutions distributor.
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