Concordia Team Studies Algae for Carbon-Negative Clean Energy
Jack Aylmer, Energy Correspondent for Straight Arrow News, reported in 2024 that a study conducted by researchers at Concordia University developed an innovative method to generate clean energy using algae. To harness the power of photosynthesis, the team created micro photosynthetic power cells capable of capturing electrons produced during this natural process and converting them into a continuous electric current.
“Our system does not use any of the hazardous gases or microfibers needed for the silicon fabrication technology that photovoltaic cells rely on,” Muthukumaran Packirisamy, a professor at Concordia University and the paper’s corresponding author, said. “Furthermore, disposing of silicon computer chips is not easy. We use biocompatible polymers, so the whole system is easily decomposable and very cheap to manufacture.”