Limits on Natural Photosynthesis

Rienk van Grondelle, Egbert Boeker

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Photosynthesis in nature does not use the far infrared part of the solar spectrum (lambda > 900 nm), comprising about 30% of the incoming solar energy. By simple thermodynamic arguments it is explained that this is due to the unavoidable back reactions during the night. It follows that lambda approximate to 900 nm provides a natural limit on artificial photosynthesis. The same limit holds for a two-tandem Si solar cell.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7229-7234
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Physical Chemistry B
Volume121
Issue number30
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Aug 2017

Funding

R.v.G. was supported by the VU University Amsterdam; the Laserlab-Europe consortium; TOP Grant 700.58.305 from the Foundation of Chemical Sciences part of Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO); European Research Council Advanced Grant 267333 (PHOTPROT); and the European Union FP7 project PAPETS (Grant Agreement 323901). R.v.G. gratefully acknowledges his Academy Professorship from The Netherlands Royal Academy of Sciences (KNAW) and was further supported by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR).

FundersFunder number
Foundation of Chemical Sciences part of Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research
Seventh Framework Programme267333, 323901
European Research Council
Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam700.58.305
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
Seventh Framework Programme

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