[Here’s a technology that is similar in spirit, but uses more existing tech.](https://scitechdaily.com/farming-in-the-dark-how-electro-agriculture-outpaces-photosynthesis/) They use PV to capture sunlight, and then use the energy to turn CO2 into basic molecules like acetate that living things can use. It is vastly more efficient than photosynthesis in terms of carbon fixation per square meter of sunlight. Then, they feed the basic molecules to yeast, algae, or plants, which do complex biosynthesis. PLants and algae can grow in complete darkness. [Scholarly article here.](https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(24)00429-X?)
The popular article emphasizes growing plants, but the researchers are actually a bit more optimistic about algae and yeast, [audio interview with the study authors here.](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5vdg) There are other startups pursuing commercial production of commodities like cotton and palm oil from yeast, but the yeast requires sugar as an input, so the acreage of agricultural cultivation is only moderately reduced. By feeding the yeast synthetic molecules, it is conceptually possible to replace 100 acres of crop land with 4 acres of PV.
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[Here’s a technology that is similar in spirit, but uses more existing tech.](https://scitechdaily.com/farming-in-the-dark-how-electro-agriculture-outpaces-photosynthesis/) They use PV to capture sunlight, and then use the energy to turn CO2 into basic molecules like acetate that living things can use. It is vastly more efficient than photosynthesis in terms of carbon fixation per square meter of sunlight. Then, they feed the basic molecules to yeast, algae, or plants, which do complex biosynthesis. PLants and algae can grow in complete darkness. [Scholarly article here.](https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(24)00429-X?)
The popular article emphasizes growing plants, but the researchers are actually a bit more optimistic about algae and yeast, [audio interview with the study authors here.](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5vdg) There are other startups pursuing commercial production of commodities like cotton and palm oil from yeast, but the yeast requires sugar as an input, so the acreage of agricultural cultivation is only moderately reduced. By feeding the yeast synthetic molecules, it is conceptually possible to replace 100 acres of crop land with 4 acres of PV.
You can experiment with adding synthetic carbon sources to plants at home today, in an aquarium. [CO2 boost is a commercial product containing glutaraldehyde, aquatic plants absorb it and skip several inefficient steps in the photosynthesis cycle.](https://www.apifishcare.com/product/co2-booster#:%7E:text=API%C2%AE%20CO2%20BOOSTER%20product,in%20conjunction%20with%20CO2%20systems.)
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