Plants for Energy?

(Symbol for energy)

One of the biggest obstacles to widespread use of solar energy is the lack of a low-cost, effective way to store it when the sun is not shining. To get around this, two MIT chemists have devised a method of hoarding solar energy that functionally mimics what plants do during photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants convert solar energy into chemical form. A key aspect of this process involves splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen is given off, and the hydrogen is ultimately incorporated into sugars that the plant stores as fuel.