Towards artificial photosynthesis for solar hydrogen generation: Algal protein gives boost to electrochemical water splitting

 Photosynthesis is considered the "Holy Grail" in the field of sustainable energy generation because it directly converts solar energy into storable fuel using nothing but water and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Scientists have long tried to mimic the underlying natural processes and to optimize them for energy device applications such as photo-electrochemical cells (PEC), which use sunlight to electrochemically split water -- and thus directly generate hydrogen, cutting short the more conventional approach using photovoltaic cells for the electrolysis of water.