eGFI - Dream Up the Future Sign-up for The Newsletter  For Teachers Online Store Contact us Search
Read the Magazine
What's New?
Explore eGFI
Engineer your Path About eGFI
Autodesk - Change Your World
Overview E-tube Trailblazers Student Blog
  • Tag Cloud

  • What’s New

  • Pages

  • RSS RSS

  • RSS Comments

  • Archives

  • Meta

Solar Cells from Bioluminescent Jellyfish

Swedish researchers are making photovoltaic technology come alive – literally. Zackary Chiragwandi and his colleagues at Chalmers University of Technology have found a way to create cheaper solar cells using special proteins harvested from bioluminescent jellyfish.

These glowing proteins, known as green florescent proteins (GFP), are inserted between two aluminum electrodes, where they form strands connecting the two plates. When exposed to UV light, the GFP generates current by absorbing photons and emitting electrons.

So why look to jellyfish for the future of solar cells? For one, these creatures are currently overpopulating some areas of the ocean, so they are not in short supply. Second, GFP could ultimately make for a wider variety of solar cells, including ones that work at the nano scale, and even those that can produce their own source of light.

Image: Sierra Blakely/Wikipedia

Comments or Questions?

By clicking the "Submit" button you agree to the eGFI Privacy Policy.