Aaron Boland in the Daily Post reports that solar research being conducted at Bangor University has moved away from traditional silicon solar cells and is looking at using the solar potential within leaves to create electrical energy.

The method called bio-solar energy replicates the plants ability to take solar energy (sunlight) and convert it into an easily storable form of energy. If successful the study hopes to create a cheaper solution to capturing solar power than current silicon based solar cells and reducing our dependence on energy created by fossil fuels.

Aaron Boland quotes Dr Peter Holliman from the school of chemistry as saying "It is already known that such solar cells are capable of generating very small currents from sunlight, here we are aiming to increase these currents in order to develop a viable commercial technology."

A possible spinoff of this process may be the production of oxygen. Could we possibly be on the verge of finding a way to produce energy and clean our air. That might not be a bad thing particularly if you are living in a city that seems to be choking you.

Solar energy in the form of sunlight is strikes a leaf and dye molecules in the chlorophyll (the stuff that makes leaves green). This solar assault on the chlorophyll causes electrons to enter an excited state (an energy gain).

The energy is then used in the formation of carbohydrates which inturn release energy back into the plant or organisms / animals / people that eat it. You could say that we are actually solar powered!

The Scientists on this solar project at Bangor will use the same dye systems that plants use to release energy as sunlight strikes the dye molecule.

Rather than storing carbohydrates the scientists will try to enhance the electrical potential in the released electrons and use it to generate electrical energy.