https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/scientists-create-reliable-biological-photovoltaic-cell-using-algae Home * Study at Cambridge * About the University * Research at Cambridge * For staff * For Cambridge students * For alumni * For our researchers * Business and enterprise * Colleges and Departments * Email and phone search * Give to Cambridge * Libraries * Museums and collections Search [Search ] Search Search [ ] Search * Study at Cambridge * Undergraduate + Courses + Applying + Events and open days + Fees and finance * Postgraduate + Why Cambridge? + Postgraduate courses + How to apply + Fees and funding + Frequently asked questions * International students * Continuing education * Executive and professional education * Courses in education * About the University * How the University and Colleges work * Term dates * History * Map * Visiting the University * Annual reports * Equality and diversity * News * A global university * Events * Public engagement * Jobs * Give to Cambridge * Research at Cambridge * For staff * For Cambridge students * For alumni * For our researchers * Business and enterprise * Colleges and Departments * Email and phone search * Give to Cambridge * Libraries * Museums and collections * Home * Research * News * Algae-powered computing: scientists create reliable and renewable biological photovoltaic cell Research * Research home * News * Our people * Spotlights * About research + About research overview + Animal research o Animal research overview o Overseeing animal research # Overseeing animal research overview # The Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body o Animal welfare and ethics o Report on the allegations and matters raised in the BUAV report o What types of animal do we use? # What types of animal do we use? overview # Chickens # Guinea pigs # Hamsters # Mice # Naked mole-rats # Non-human primates (marmosets and rhesus macaques) # Other birds # Pigs # Rats # Sheep # Xenopus # Zebrafish o Non-technical summaries o Animal Welfare Policy o Alternatives to animal use o FAQs o Further information + Funding Agency Committee Members + Research integrity + Horizons magazine + Strategic Initiatives & Networks + Nobel Prize + Interdisciplinary Research Centres + Open access + Energy sector partnerships + Podcasts o Podcasts overview o S2 ep1: What is the future? o S2 ep2: What did the future look like in the past? o S2 ep 3: What is the future of wellbeing? o S2 ep4: What would a more just future look like? o S2 ep 5: What is the future of artificial intelligence? o S2 ep 6: The future of reproduction * Business and enterprise * Research impact * Animal research Algae-powered computing: scientists create reliable and renewable biological photovoltaic cell [al-anode-mini-device-credit-p-bombelli-580x288px] Researchers have used a widespread species of blue-green algae to power a microprocessor continuously for a year - and counting - using nothing but ambient light and water. Their system has potential as a reliable and renewable way to power small devices. Our photosynthetic device doesn't run down the way a battery does because it's continually using light as the energy source. Chris Howe The system, comparable in size to an AA battery, contains a type of non-toxic algae called Synechocystis that naturally harvests energy from the sun through photosynthesis. The tiny electrical current this generates then interacts with an aluminium electrode and is used to power a microprocessor. The system is made of common, inexpensive and largely recyclable materials. This means it could easily be replicated hundreds of thousands of times to power large numbers of small devices as part of the Internet of Things. The researchers say it is likely to be most useful in off-grid situations or remote locations, where small amounts of power can be very beneficial. "The growing Internet of Things needs an increasing amount of power, and we think this will have to come from systems that can generate energy, rather than simply store it like batteries," said Professor Christopher Howe in the University of Cambridge's Department of Biochemistry, joint senior author of the paper. He added: "Our photosynthetic device doesn't run down the way a battery does because it's continually using light as the energy source." In the experiment, the device was used to power an Arm Cortex M0+, which is a microprocessor used widely in Internet of Things devices. It operated in a domestic environment and semi-outdoor conditions under natural light and associated temperature fluctuations, and after six months of continuous power production the results were submitted for publication. The study is published today in the journal Energy & Environmental Science. "We were impressed by how consistently the system worked over a long period of time - we thought it might stop after a few weeks but it just kept going," said Dr Paolo Bombelli in the University of Cambridge's Department of Biochemistry, first author of the paper. The algae does not need feeding, because it creates its own food as it photosynthesises. And despite the fact that photosynthesis requires light, the device can even continue producing power during periods of darkness. The researchers think this is because the algae processes some of its food when there's no light, and this continues to generate an electrical current. The Internet of Things is a vast and growing network of electronic devices - each using only a small amount of power - that collect and share real-time data via the internet. Using low-cost computer chips and wireless networks, many billions of devices are part of this network - from smartwatches to temperature sensors in power stations. This figure is expected to grow to one trillion devices by 2035, requiring a vast number of portable energy sources. The researchers say that powering trillions of Internet of Things devices using lithium-ion batteries would be impractical: it would need three times more lithium than is produced across the world annually. And traditional photovoltaic devices are made using hazardous materials that have adverse environmental effects. The work was a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and Arm, a company leading the design of microprocessors. Arm Research developed the ultra-efficient Arm Cortex M0+ testchip, built the board, and set up the data-collection cloud interface presented in the experiments. The research was funded by the National Biofilms Innovation Centre. Reference Bombelli, P. et al: 'Powering a Microprocessor by Photosynthesis.' Energy & Environmental Science, May 2022. DOI: 10.1039/D2EE00233G --------------------------------------------------------------------- Creative Commons License The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright (c)University of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. 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Media enquiries Jacqueline Garget External Affairs and Communications team Published 12 May 2022 Image Credit: Paolo Bombelli [88x31_0] Share Search research Keyword search [ ] Go Sign up to receive our weekly research email Our selection of the week's biggest Cambridge research news and features sent directly to your inbox. Enter your email address, confirm you're happy to receive our emails and then select 'Subscribe'. Email [ ] [ ]I wish to receive a weekly Cambridge research news summary by email. [Subscribe] The University of Cambridge will use your email address to send you our weekly research news email. We are committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about what information we hold. Please read our email privacy notice for details. 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