Jul 27 2010
Daniel Poneman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy, has created a Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP) last Friday.
This $122 million project aimed at developing sophisticated methods for solar energy production spans five years and includes two well known California research institutions California Institute of Technology in Pasadena (Cal Tech) and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. The project will entail research scientists with diverse professional experience and educational qualifications to work collectively and produce a viable solar energy to chemical fuel adaptation method for commercial use.
The JCAP project is also planning to include other researchers from California based institutions such as UC San Diego, Stanford University, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine in addition to the researchers from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Caltech Pasadena to create synthetic adaptations of various components essential for photosynthesis which includes separation members, light absorbers, catalysts and molecular linkers and to use some of the latest propositions in nanotechnology during the advance research for producing synthetic photosynthesis.
The JCAP project will be lead by Nathan S. Lewis and guided by George L. Argyros of Caltech. The JCAP is planning to conduct its research and other related activities at the project’s Energy Innovation Hub situated at Caltech’s Jorgensen Laboratory. Suzanne Bohan, reporter for Contra Costa Times Science, said the JCAP’s artificial photosynthesis research is expected to find out new ways to change sunlight into hydrocarbons and fuels that use alcohol for use in motor cars and similar vehicles.