One of the renewable energies in which we have placed our hopes is undoubtedly solar. For this, the development of photovoltaic cells has been essential. Conceptually, these devices have been inspired by one of the main biological processes that allow life in Earth's atmosphere: photosynthesis. In it, plants are able to absorb sunlight and convert it into energy that will be stored in their structures. In addition, the oxygen we breathe is also produced in one of its final phases.
In a recent publication of Energy portal, the importance of the development of these cells through the last decades is highlighted. For example, it indicates that the photosynthetic process has an efficiency of 95% and that one of the objectives is that manmade built devices will one day be closer to this value. In fact, today common solar cells have only an efficiency of 20% while photovoltaics are capable to reach 50%. These cells use a combination of organic materials and nanotechnology to mimic the natural process . Likewise, it comments that one of the key components is an absorbing light dye, which works as chlorophyll performs in plants. When light shines on it, electrons are excited and transferred to a semiconductor, creating an electrical current that can be used as a power source.
However, the article also indicates that there are challenges that must be overcome, such as the stability of the cells. While plants are capable of repairing their structures when they are damaged, the light-absorbing dye can degrade over time, thus reducing efficiency. Despite this , photovoltaic cells based on biomimicry exemplify the potential of our discipline in generating innovative and sustainable solutions at a time when we are facing climate change and the scarcity of non - polluting energies .
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