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An experiment will soon begin to power a residential home in Okinawa using artificial photosynthesis

May 13, 2022

By Emi Takahata

Test home will be powered by artificial photosynthesis

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J-STORIES ― Artificial photosynthesis can produce useful chemicals from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. There is an experiment underway on Miyakojima Island, Okinawa Prefecture, to test this technology’s ability to supply power and hot water to homes.

Researchers will conduct an experiment to determine how much of a household's electricity needs can be supplied by current artificial photosynthesis technology.     Courtesy: Osaka City University Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis — Researchers will conduct an experiment to determine how much of a household's electricity needs can be supplied by current artificial photosynthesis technology. Courtesy: Osaka City University Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis

The Artificial Photosynthesis House demonstration experiment will be conducted by Osaka City University and Iida Group Holdings (Iida GHD) in Tokyo, a leading builder and seller of homes. The goal is to establish a new housing system that not only restricts and reduces the CO2 emitted from homes, but also converts CO2 and uses it as an energy source. If successful, this would be a world first.

Government, universities and industry are already working together to research artificial photosynthesis technology for use in a variety of fields. Iida GHD and Osaka City University Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (ReCAP) established a joint research division in 2015. They have developed artificial photosynthesis technology to produce hydrogen from formic acid created and stored using solar energy, and also technology for highly efficient electricity generation from that hydrogen.

Unlike solar power generation, artificial photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide into formic acid, which is then converted into hydrogen and carbon dioxide as an energy source. The carbon dioxide produced is captured again and returned to the artificial photosynthesis cycle. Courtesy: Osaka City University Research Center for Artificial Photosynthesis

Hiroshi Hida, who works in the Next Generation Technology Development Office at Iida GHD, said that the company’s role is to connect various technologies that make up artificial photosynthesis, install them in homes, and show them working to provide energy in experimental residential homes.

Regarding the demonstration experiment on Miyakojima, ReCAP’s head, Professor Yutaka Amao, told J-Stories, “We would like to see whether or not a small-scale energy supply system is possible with artificial photosynthesis.”

Amao said that the center has been researching hydrogen engines with Iida GHD for many years, and that this led to them cooperating on the Artificial Photosynthesis House. The demonstration experiment was temporarily put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic but is scheduled to begin later this year if the situation does not worsen.

At present, they still cannot secure sufficient energy for the house through artificial photosynthesis alone, so some of the energy comes from solar power, said Amao. By 2025, they hope to ascertain how much electricity they can supply with current technology, and one day they hope to successfully supply energy only with artificial photosynthesis.