A research team from the University of Basel, Switzerland, has developed a new molecule modeled on plant photosynthesis: under the influence of light, it stores two positive and two negative charges at the same time. The aim is to convert sunlight into carbon-neutral fuels.
Plants use the energy of sunlight to convert CO2 into energy-rich sugar molecules. This process is called photosynthesis and is the foundation of virtually all life: animals and humans can “burn” the carbohydrates produced in this way again and use the energy stored within them. This once more produces carbon dioxide, closing the cycle.
This model could also be the key to environmentally friendly fuels, as researchers are working on imitating natural photosynthesis and using sunlight to produce high-energy compounds: solar fuels such as hydrogen, methanol and synthetic gasoline. If burned, they would produce only as much carbon dioxide as was needed to produce the fuels. In other words, they would be carbon-neutral.