A team of US Researchers has taken the next step in the evolution of bacteria-powered energy. They built bio-solar panel which can produce 5.59 microwatts of energy. This is used to run small devices in remote areas where regular battery replacement is not possible. The researchers connected nine biological-solar (bio-solar) cells in a 3×3 pattern to make a scalable and stackable bio-solar panel. The panel continuously generated electricity from photosynthesis and respiratory activities of the bacteria in 12-hour day-night cycles over 60 hours.

“Once a functional bio-solar panel becomes available, it could become a permanent power source for supplying long-term power for small, wireless telemetry systems as well as wireless sensors used at remote sites where frequent battery replacement is impractical,” said Seokheun “Sean” Choi, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering in Binghamton University’s Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science, and co-author of the paper.

“This research could also enable crucial understanding of the photosynthetic extracellular electron transfer processes in a smaller group of microorganisms with excellent control over the microenvironment, thereby enabling a versatile platform for fundamental bio-solar cell studies,” said Choi.

One typical “traditional” solar panel on the roof of a residential house, made up of 60 cells in a 6×10 configuration, generates roughly 200 watts of electrical power at a given moment.

The cells from this study, in a similar configuration, would generate about 0.00003726 watts. So it isn’t efficient just yet but the findings open the door to future research of the bacteria itself.

“The metabolic pathways of cyanobacteria or algae are only partially understood, and their significantly low power density and low energy efficiency make them unsuitable for practical applications,” noted Mr Choi in a paper published in the journal Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical.

“There is a need for additional basic research to clarify bacterial metabolism and energy production potential for bio-solar applications and it is time for breakthroughs that can maximize power-generating capabilities/energy efficiency/sustainability,,” he added.