The Sun is our future and plants hold the secret, say scientists
Leading experts in photosynthesis research have said that understanding how plants turn light into energy is the future in emission-free energy. Speaking at a public discussion in Glasgow organised by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the scientists said that solar is by far the greatest source of renewable energy on our planet.
Well, to be accurate it’s on our planet, but according to Prof Christine Raines of the University of Essex the Sun's potential is massive:
"More solar energy strikes the Earth in one hour than all the global fossil fuels provide in a whole year", explains Prof Barber.
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The BBSRC is the UK's leading funding agency for academic research and training in the non-clinical life sciences.Prof Jim Barber of Imperial College London suggested that if we can
understand exactly how plants capture and store solar energy, we could mimic
the natural process to design solar panels with better energy conversion
rates. There was also a discussion of advances in plant biology which could lead to better crops for biofuels.
