.jpg "Explore Where We're Looking for Aliens")
 Share
|
« Previous Thompson | Next Thompson » |
Email
Print
|
Caltech's Killer Idea: Artificial Leaves That Turn Sunlight Into Fuel
ByWe asked the California Institute of Technology (Caltech, as it's commonly known) for its smartest new innovation. This is what they gave us.
Caltech
The problem:
Human beings have a big appetite for energy. Meanwhile, the sun is the largest source of power in the solar system, but it doesn't play a big role in our energy diet.
The idea: Caltech is creating artificial leaves that can produce fuels directly from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to fuel cars and heat homes. The artificial leaf prototypes are composed of thin sheets of plastic embedded with light-absorbing materials that can absorb sunlight and water vapor, and emit hydrogen or methanol.
The awesomely named project, the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP). is a $122 million energy hub established by President Obama and the Department of Energy.
The potential: A cheaper and cleaner energy future.
Want to share your company's best idea -- or your own! -- for our Best Ideas series? Leave your idea in the comment section or email me a description and a photograph at dthompson@theatlantic.com.
___
The Best Ideas Series
Caltech: Artificial Leaves That Turn Sunlight Into Fuel
IBM: The $100 DNA-Sequencing Machine
GE: A Real-Time Energy Dashboard For Your House
Google: A Personal Translator on Your Phone
Facebook: A Social Solution to Password Security
Under Armour: The World's Smartest Shirt
Siemens: The World's 1st Hybrid Electric Airplane
Genentech: Chemotherapy Without Side-Effects
PARC: A Better, Faster, Stronger Internet
Andreessen Horowitz: A Camera That Focuses After You Click
Duke University: A Cancer Flashlight
Join the Discussion
After you comment, click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be asked to log in or register. blog comments powered by Disqus