ASIZ/Research/Systems/Artificial photosynthesis
Energy · σ Mid horizon

Artificial photosynthesis

Artificial photosynthesis uses sunlight, water, and CO₂ in engineered catalysts and photoelectrochemical cells to produce fuels such as hydrogen or hydrocarbons — mimicking and improving on plants.

Field
Energy
Horizon
σ Sigma · 2029–2035
Lead center
Energy & Fusion
Maturity
Developing — prototypes scaling toward deployment
Why it matters

It could make carbon-neutral liquid fuels and chemicals directly from sunlight, storing solar energy in dense, transportable form.

Where it stands

Lab devices demonstrate the chemistry; efficiency, durability, and scale-up to practical fuel production remain open.

How ASIZ approaches it

The discovery loop, applied.

Through the Energy & Fusion center, ASIZ aims the discovery loop at artificial photosynthesis: frontier models survey the literature and simulate the possibilities, rank the experiments most likely to resolve the open questions, and partner labs run the decisive ones — with results shared openly.