Thread: Question about energy?

I don't know was this a right place to post this topic or
have you already talked this kind of subject, but I posted
it anyway...

Is it possible to build a powerplant that uses photosynthesis
as a source of energy, and if it is would it be profitable?

Another thing is a powerplant using Volcanos eruption as energy
source.

(Sorry is I made some typos...)

Originally Posted by eternal

Another thing is a powerplant using Volcanos eruption as energy
source.

There are geothermic plants, that use geothermal heat to generate electricity (usually located in geysers and some times near to volcanoes).

I guess they don't use directly a volcano eruption because it's an umpredictable event and doesn't have a frequency of occurrence.

i think its possible, i had this idea too,

having said that, i think solar cells would be more ecconomic, all you need it to bulid and maintain it, and it really has the same affect.

i think photosynthis would be better used as a measn of producign fuel.

Photosynthesis energy product is ATP. The typical energy sources used in life (as evident). But this molecule can not be used for industrial processes. The plant uses ATP for its own energy household.
Off course bio-fuel is an example; here photosynthesis is used to produce industrial energy. So indeed by genetic engineering one can optimize such processes resulting in plants that put almost all their energy in production of bio-fuel.
But if you mean a powerplant human made, one has to realize that enzymatic reactions like photosynthesis are ideal catalyzed reactions (in the plant itself), which we can not perform better in an artificial manner.
So my suggestion also goes to solar systems if want to use light energy.

I saw a talk a while ago by a chemist who was designing and testing molecules that used photosynthesis to make hydrogen gas from water. It was pretty interesting stuff...not quite working right yet though.

Photosynthesis isn`t very efficient though is it? A lot of the sunlight doesn`t get used according to what i read.