Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Commercial Photosynthesis- using principle of solar panels

We all can recall the basic reaction of photosynthesis:  where 6 molecules of carbon dioxide react with 6 molecules of water in the presence of sunlight (photons) results a molecule of carbohydrate (sugar )and 6 molecules of Oxygen. Nature uses this reaction to reduce carbon dioxide emissions- a gas that our politicians consider responsible for global warming. Actually without photosynthesis the level of oxygen in the atmosphere and the production of our food source as well as our forests  would be non existent. But that is not the purpose of this post.
A few weeks ago  I saw  acres of solar panels in the USA deserts which were set up not for photosynethis but for the production of solar heat and alternate  energy. Today at our MUGS meeting as I watched on TV  Tim Cook team speak from  Steve Jobs library on their 175 acre site at Cupertino I noticed that this massive circular building was covered with solar panels which I understand produces sufficient electrical solar energy to operate the building.
Getting back to photosynthesis. We know that the 3 main constituents of the reaction are the green pigmented chloroplasts of plants, nature supplies the 3 other ingredients namely  the energy- photons of light water  and those  nasty emissions carbon dioxide- the latter are the emissions that our government wants to put a carbon tax on.
But that is not the purpose of this blog. I feel that we should be able to commercially produce the products of photosynthesis namely the carbohydrates and the oxygen.I heard on Marci Markusa's morning program on CBC radio program of a scientist from one of the maritime uses nano carbon molecules to produce a product - just forgot the details.What I am thinking that maybe we could even produce the chloroplasts- as nano molecules.

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