Algae Photosynthetic Hydrogen Production System AlgaeH2 Efficiency Breaks Through 15%: Bio-Hydrogen First Approaches PV Electrolysis Economics
A UC Berkeley team improved genetically edited algae photosynthetic hydrogen production efficiency to 15%, reducing green hydrogen cost to $2.50/kg and approaching PV electrolysis economics for the first time.
On August 10, 2028, UC Berkeley published a paper in Nature Energy reporting that its genetically edited algae photosynthetic hydrogen production system achieved a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 15%, reducing production cost to $2.50 per kilogram of green hydrogen.
Traditional green hydrogen production relies on solar or wind-powered water electrolysis, with energy conversion efficiency around 10% to 12%. The AlgaeH2 system uses genetically edited Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to directly convert sunlight and water into hydrogen, eliminating the electricity conversion step.
The research team lead said AlgaeH2's key breakthrough involved modifying the algae's Photosystem II protein complex to efficiently reduce protons to hydrogen alongside normal photosynthesis. The system ran continuously for six months in outdoor trials in California's Central Valley, producing approximately 12 liters of hydrogen per square meter per day.
The team plans to expand the trial to one hectare to verify commercial production feasibility.
Disclaimer
Content is AI-generated. Do not use it as a basis for real decisions. Do not cite it as factual reporting.