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The BioSolar Cells project
Sustainable energy from photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is a complex process that occurs in many variations. The BioSolar Cells Project initiative aims to specifically use this diversity to improve this process and enhance its potential as a source of energy, biomass, feed and food.

NADHP ATP
PLANTS
El ec tro n tra

Glucose

ns

po

rt

ch

ai

n

Photosystem I Photosystem II

Energy

Energy

Energy
The world faces a rapidly increasing demand for sustainable energy. Man-caused changes that threaten the climate, together with oilsupplies that eventually will run short, forces us to rely on alternative biomass sources for products that now originate from oil. First and second generation biofuels cannot fulfill this need in a sustainable and societal acceptable manner. In addition, the world faces the challenge to increase agricultural production to adequately feed an increasing world population. Since the possibilities to increase the agricultural acreage are limited, this largely must be accomplished by improving the landproductivity. The largest option available is the sun and it is our challenge to make the most of this incredible resource. While solar power currently revolves primarily around the application of photovoltaic cells, new options are available with photobiological cells or BioSolar Cells. These have various benefits: • Production of these cells is in principle inexpensive; • The biological materials used are not rare; • The cells can produce liquid fuels directly. An additional advantage is that BioSolar Cells can capture the greenhouse gas CO2.

What are BioSolar Cells?
BioSolar Cells are natural systems or systems based on natural processes that use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into useable energy. This occurs in many ways, and the BioSolar Cells Project focuses on three options: 1 Increasing the photosynthetic efficiency of plants Outcome: More biomass and higher yields per given surface area. 2 Direct production of fuels, bypassing the biomass phase. Outcome: Photosynthetic cyanobacteria or algae that produce butanol, for example. 3 Combining natural and technological components. Outcome: ‘Artificial Leaves’ that highly efficiently produce hydrogen gas or syn-gas from solar energy.

Results
There are many possible results. One example is the development of high production plants that are used for both food and feed. Another is the cultivation of micro-organisms on large patches of land or (sea) water that are currently unusable for biofuel production. And then there is the development of solar collectors that can refuel our cars at night. There are already numerous possibilities and some applications are within reach. Further exploration of photosynthesis will result in new, unexpected options. Although true innovations cannot be predicted, they can be guided.

Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the key processes on this planet - the foundation for all (fossil) energy and therefore for life. Less well known is that photosynthesis is an enormous diverse process that occurs in many different organisms. This means that there is a great deal of biological variation that can be explicitly deployed to improve photosynthesis.

Solar energy New solar cell

Electrical energy H2O H+ + O2 + e-

Chemical energy NAD+ + H+ NADH
NADH NADH NADH

CO2

HCOOH

H2CO

CH3OH

Generation of methanol (CH3OH) from CO2

Initiators
The Netherlands has a rich tradition in the field of photosynthesis research and excellent research groups in all relevant subsectors. This has created a considerable background of photosynthesis know-how. We now face the challenge of combining and enhancing this knowledge so as to be able to use photosynthesis for sustainable energy supplies and for securing food production. Driven by the social relevance and scientific possibilities, a number of authoritative Dutch research groups decided to join forces in the BioSolar Cells Project: • Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) • Leiden University • VU University Amsterdam • University of Groningen • Delft University of Technology • University of Amsterdam

Participating knowledge institutes
Plant Research International, part of Wageningen UR Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR University of Groningen Delft University of Technology Eindhoven University of Technology University of Amsterdam Leiden University University of Twente VU University Amsterdam HAS Den Bosch

Participating companies
BASF Antwerpen N.V. Bioclear B.V. Biomethanol Chemie Nederland B.V. Bruker Nederland B.V. Drie Wilgen Development B.V. DSM ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company GEA Mechanical Equipment Heliae Development LLC Lionix B.V. Neste Oil Nijhuis Water Technology B.V. Paques B.V.

Room for new partners
The BioSolar Cells Project aims to bring together key-expertise in the photosynthesis sector and is always on the lookout for new partners and ideas. The participation of leading knowledge institutions and companies guarantees constant renewal and the utilisation thereof. We invite all national and international organisations that

Philips Electronic Nederland B.V. Plant Dynamics B.V. Proces-Groningen B.V. Proviron Holding N.V. Pursuit Dynamics PLC Roquette Freres S.A. Saudi Basic Industries Corporation Simris Alg AB Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. Stichting Waag Society Synthetic Genomics Incorporated Total Unilever Research and Development Vlaardingen B.V.

Public-private
The BioSolar Cells Project is a joint initiative of companies and knowledge institutions, supported by the Dutch government. The programme will last five years and has a total budget of 42 million euro. Companies and knowledge institutions will account for 17 million euro, whereas the government contributes the remaining 25 million euro.

believe they can contribute to the project’s success to contact us and join the project.

Information
Dr. R. Klein Lankhorst, Director Operations Project Office BioSolar Cells P.O. Box 98 6700 AB, Wageningen The Netherlands Tel: +31 317 481 096 Email: office@biosolarcells.nl Internet: www.biosolarcells.nl

Co-financed by
• Ministery of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation • ALW (NWO Earth and Life Sciences)

Projects within BioSolar Cells
Development of supramolecular catalysts Development of fast, efficient and device compatible antenna Development of device compatible charge separators. Functional assessment and characterization of artificial photosynthetic systems with time-resolved spectroscopy and spectroelectrochemistry Solid state NMR analyses of PCET and catalysis Development of semiconductor tandem junctions and photocatalytic devices Characterization and predictive modeling of nanodevice components BIOCOMET: Using Solar cells for the production of methanol from CO2 S2FC: the Solar to Fuel Chip A Thylakoid Multiscale Engineering Platform Defect engineering at oxide interfaces: Towards efficient ultra-thin absorber films Nanostructured solar-to-fuel devices Photoelectrochemical water splitting in artificial nanostructured solar converters Engineering surface electrical fields and charge separation in water-splitting perovskites Nanowire solar energy conversion Photocatalytic water splitting in microfluidic devices Selective photoreduction of CO2 fuels in a microreactor platform New photosynthetic cell factories for bio-butanol production Microalgae as photosynthetic cell factories for biofuel production From proteins to the thylakoid membrane Growth optimization of diatoms: antenna size of photosynthetic proteins and the role of stress and CO2 Harvesting sunlight in a biodegradable polymer: Extracellular production of crystalline cellulose by Cyanobacteria A complementary photosystem for proton pumping in Synechocystis PCC 6803 Algae Pilot Production and Development Centre Research programme: Selection of algae strains based on the comparison of photosynthetic activity in different reactor production units Harvesting sunlight with microorganisms: metabolomics with microcoil fMRI Photosynthesis and growth optimization of cold water diatoms for production of PolyUnsaturated Fatty Acids High efficiency seaweed based photo-bioreactor Application of on/off modulation and time-separated wavelength tuning for high yield phototrophic growth of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6803 Studying the regulation of light harvesting in the green alga Chlamydomonas to improve its productivity under mass culture conditions Expanding society’s toolbox to harvest solar energy: Creating multi-scale computational models to optimize oxygenic photosynthesis System-level integration of the process of photosynthesis in vivo. Application to various C3 plants Genetic variation in Arabidopsis thaliana of photosynthesis parameters in response to abiotic stress Developing heuristic in silico models for C3 photosynthesis integrating electrochemical, biophysical and biochemical processes_ Light Capturing Framework for Biosolar Cells Combined physiological and genetic analysis of photosynthetic regulation and plasticity in response to fluctuating environments and abiotic stress Dynamic LED lighting in greenhouse horticulture: controlling and monitoring photosynthesis, morphology and growth horticulture with LED light Maximizing crop photosynthesis by optimizing growth conditions Floriade Greenhouse Phenotypic engineering of higher plants: Developing a new paradigm for improving photosynthetic efficiency Societal Debates on GM Photosynthesis Research Constraints on large scale implementation of BioSolar Cells;Early-stage Assessment of Environmental Value Propositions (societal debate CML)/scenario building Communication on GM Photosynthesis: Experts Reflecting on the Views of Consumers/Citizens Photosynthesis “at” School Bachelor class photosynthesis Honors class Lorentz Center Photobioreactor design Research minor Research minor Research minor Marie Curie ITN Harvest Making a field of interpretation for BioSolar Cells

Project leader
Joost Reek Ernst Sudhölter Romano Orru John Kennis/ Raoul Frese Huub de Groot Roel vd Krol/ Marc Koper Huub de Groot Jules Beekwilder Jurriaan Huskens Agur Sevink Roel van de Krol Jurriaan Huskens René Janssen Rinke Wijngaarden Jos Haverkort Joost Reek Elisabeth Bouwman Klaas Hellingwerf René Wijffels Rienk van Grondelle Egbert Boekema Klaas Hellingwerf Wim de Grip Maria Barbosa

University / Institute
University of Amsterdam Delft University of Technology VU University Amsterdam VU University Amsterdam Leiden University Leiden University Leiden University Wageningen UR University of Twente Leiden University Delft University of Technology University of Twente Eindhoven University of Technology VU University Amsterdam Eindhoven University of Technology University of Amsterdam Leiden University University of Amsterdam Wageningen UR VU University Amsterdam University of Groningen University of Amsterdam Leiden University Wageningen UR

Huub de Groot Anita Buma Willem Brandenburg Hans Matthijs Herbert van Amerongen Klaas Hellingwerf Jeremy Harbinson Mark Aarts Paul Struik Gerie vd Heijden Paul Struik Leo Marcelis Leo Marcelis Piet Sonneveld Alia Bart Gremmen Gjalt Huppes Bart Gremmen Door Jonkers Jasper den Besten Francesco Buda René Wijffels Jan Dekker Huub de Groot René Wijffels Jan Dekker Rob Zwijnenberg/ Huub de Groot

Leiden University University of Groningen Wageningen UR University of Amsterdam Wageningen UR University of Amsterdam Wageningen UR Wageningen UR Wageningen UR Wageningen UR Wageningen UR Wageningen UR Wageningen UR Wageningen UR Leiden University Wageningen UR Leiden University Wageningen UR Wageningen UR HAS Den Bosch Leiden University Wageningen UR VU University Amsterdam Leiden University Wageningen UR VU University Amsterdam Leiden University

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