New clean energy source could be enzyme that generates electricity from air

Australian scientists have discovered a new enzyme that converts air into energy. According to the study published in the journal Nature, this enzyme uses low amounts of hydrogen in the atmosphere to generate electric current. This finding paves the way for creating devices that literally generate energy from the air, increasing the choice of renewable energy sources.

Generating electricity from the air became a reality

Dr. A research team from Monash University led by Rhys Grinter produced and analyzed a hydrogen-consuming enzyme from soil bacteria. The team’s work showed that many bacteria use atmospheric hydrogen as an energy source in nutrient-poor environments. “We’ve known for some time that bacteria can use trace amounts of hydrogen in the air as an energy source to help them grow and survive, including on Antarctic soils, volcanic craters and the deep oceans. But until now we didn’t know how they did that,” said Professor Greening, who was involved in the study. used the phrases.

The team, which succeeded in producing an enzyme using atmospheric hydrogen from a bacterium called Mycobacterium smegmatis, named this enzyme Huc. It is stated that the Huc enzyme is extraordinarily effective, and unlike all other known enzymes and chemical catalysts, it can consume hydrogen even below atmospheric levels of 0.00005% of the air we breathe.

Can be used on small devices

The team used a technique called electrochemistry to show that the pure enzyme they created produces electricity at very low hydrogen concentrations. However, the enzyme is said to be surprisingly stable and can be stored for quite some time. The enzyme does not lose its ability to produce energy even if it is frozen or heated.

The researchers describe the Huc enzyme as a “natural battery” because it produces a continuous electric current using hydrogen in the air. Although this research is still at an early stage, Huc may be available on small devices in the future. The team said in a statement that their next goal is to produce the Huc enzyme on a large scale.