Artificial Photosynthesis: A photovoltaic perspective

45 Pages·2012·9.61 MB·English

Artificial Photosynthesis:
A photovoltaic perspective
Joel Ager
Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis
and
Materials Sciences Division
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
UCB EECS Solid State Seminar
Berkeley, CA
December 9, 2011
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Acknowledgment and Disclaimer
Acknowledgment:
This material is based upon work performed by the Joint Center for Artificial
Photosynthesis, a DOE Energy Innovation Hub, supported through the Office of
Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under Award Number DE-SC0004993.
Disclaimer:
This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United
States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof,
nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any
legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy,completeness, or usefulness of any
information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use
would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific
commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or
otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation,
or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and
opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the
United States Government or any agency thereof.
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What is “artificial photosynthesis”?
Why might it be of interest?
What does this logo mean?
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What is Carbon Cycle 2.0?
• This Energy & Environment initiative defines an
overarching Lab mission directed at the most
important and challenging issue facing mankind
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Carbon Cycle 1.0: Natural Carbon Cycle
0.15
Gt C/yr
Transfer rate from
geologic reservoirs to
surface: 0.15 Gt C/yr
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Current open-ended C cycle Future balanced C cycle
Carbon Cycle 1.x (2011 AD) Carbon Cycle 2.0 (2100 AD?)
Transfer rate from geologic reservoirs
Goal: 2x to 3x more energy production but
driven by burning fossil fuels = 9 Gt C/yr
with less than 1/3 of 2010 C emissions
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LBNL Research – Carbon Cycle 2.0 Initiative
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Let’s look at the
energy landscape
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Look at all that “fossil fuel”
86%
fossil fuels
US budget ~ 100 Quads
1 TW x 1 year = 30 Quads
Units are Quads = 1015 BTU ~ 1018 joule (EJ)
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Solar, in perspective
Solar
0.006 Quads = 1.7 TW-hr
5 MWp solar farm Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant
2 x 1100 MW reactors
Ran at 90% capacity in 2006:
18 TW-hr
Altamont Wind Turbines
576 MW capacity, 125 MW on average
1.1 TW-hr yearly average
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