Artificial-leaf-like Electric Generator

Artificial-leaf-like Electric Generator collects and supplies electricity and water to the surrounding. We aim to create an forest-like city in which human live peacefully with nature and challenge more SDGs.

Our ambition is to provide another option other than solar panel. Artificial-leaf-like Electric Generator is an electric generator that aim to produce electricity even on rainy day and and at night. During daylight, plant-microbial fuel cells will collect energy from sunlight and produce organic matter that can generate electricity and water through oxidation. According to shadow-effect energy generators originated from the National University of Singapore in the journal Energy & Environmental Science, electricity can be created out of shadows. The contrast between bright and gloomy places generates electricity. The greater the difference between light and dark, the more electricity is generated. Light beaming on silicon energizes its electrons and creates an electric current. Moreover, thermoelectric generator is introduced. According to the journal JOULE device from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), electricity can be generated out of temperature differences. A thermoelectric generator produces an electric voltage in response to a temperature difference, converting the heat into electricity. All generated electricity will flow to the battery for the cooling effect of water-based air conditioner and lightning purpose for LED. Different designs will be available, either with our without cooling effect.

• Renewable energy use increased 3% in 2020 as demand for all other fuels declined. The primary spark was an almost 7% growth in electricity generation from renewable sources. Long-term contracts, priority access to the grid, and continuous installation of new plants underpinned renewables growth despite lower electricity demand, supply chain challenges, and construction delays in many parts of the world. Consequently, the share of renewables in global electricity generation jumped to 29% in 2020, up from 27% in 2019. Adequate research and experiment effort were done to the product. We anticipate further improvement on our solution via all sorts feedback sources, in the hope of completing our technology. 

Our product aims to benefit people in both city and rural areas by reducing the use of non-renewable energy and reducing gas house emission. We hope to contribute in solving global warming, just like how approaches to ozone depletion was improved successfully few years back. Firstly, Artificial leaf-like electric generators aim to be one of the solutions for providing green and sustainable renewable energy resources. Artificial leaf-like electric generators can generate electricity without emitting carbon dioxide with the support of the three systems that can work in different situations to supply a continuous electric supply. Next, this product can capture carbon to achieve carbon neutrality. This product can mimic the process of photosynthesis by capturing carbon dioxide to produce organic matter to generate electricity and water through oxidation. Lastly, this product can provide a cooling effect for people to the surrounding temperature. As global temperature increases due to climate change, Artificial-leaf-like electric generators is capable to chill the wall, flooring, and outdoor shading with a water-based air conditioner with the water from the oxidation and condensation in the product. Lego-like brick Artificial-leaf-like Electric Generator, outdoor water-based air conditioner with the product and outdoor underfloor cooling system are the examples of this product that can be designed to provide cooling effect by generating electricity itself to pump water to those products to cool the surrounding.

We have done some surveys and studies through internet but I have not really reach potential user yet because all still under processing of prototype.  Increased population emphasize more demand for oil, gas, coal, and other fuels extracted or drilled from under the Earth's surface, that is, when burned, emit enough carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere to trap warm air within, much like a greenhouse. We are witnessing the devastating repercussions of global warming right before our eyes because of our unrelenting population increment and dependence on fossil fuels. Since pre-industrial era, global average temperatures have already risen by more than one degree Celsius, and carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are higher than they have been in more than 800,000 years. 

By 2026, global renewable electricity capacity is predicted to rise more than 60% from 2020 levels to over 4 800 GW – equivalent to the current combined global power capacity of fossil fuels and nuclear. Renewables are set to account for almost 95% of the increase in global power capacity by 2026, with solar PV alone providing more than half of the market. The amount of renewable capacity added over the period of 2021 to 2026 is expected to be 50% higher than from 2015 to 2020. This is driven by stronger support from government policies and more ambitious clean energy goals announced before and during the COP26 Climate Change Conference. Therefore this is our best time to promote our product.

In this stage, I came up with the idea and planning to do prototype independently and then do it in combination. I still require more discussion with 3 professors from different expertise and had meeting with potential professor that willing to provide me advise and supervise my experiment to improve the product. However, I am taking this product to attend more competitions. Along the competitions, I will take opinion and advices from judges and people another field to improve it. At the same time, I am trying to take as more awards as I can to make the product recognizable. I also trying to apply copyright for this product. 

Artificial leaf-like electric generator is operated by 3 system which are plant microbial fuel cell, shadow-effect energy generator and thermoelectric generator used in radiative sky cooling. Referring to shadow-effect energy generators from scientists from the National University of Singapore in the journal Energy & Environmental Science, electricity is created out of shadows. Referring to the device from researchers from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) in the journal JOULE, electricity is generated out of temperature differences. All generated electricity will flow to the battery to be stored or used.

I plan to serve a electric generator to be launched to be implemented around the city or even town as a part of building equipment in Malaysia next year.

Estimation of around 10,0000 people will live in a city while around 50000 in a town of Malaysia. I also thinking of placing on the roof of the building or even use as a underfloor cooling system. Wall or outdoor shading cooperate with water-based air conditioner to provide cooling and shading to pedestrians and generate electricity to nearby facilities. 

I hope this solution can become another optional instead solar panel and ease climate change to create a society that can live peacefully with natural environment. I wish this solution will be like leave that not just have one uses but bring a lot of benefit to environment and human. This solution still have long way to go but I will use my semester break and days usefully to create and improve the product. I wish I can finish doing prototype and improving it and then successfully getting any opportunity to cooperate with company, constructor or even entrepreneur. I will keep on participate more competitions and challenge in the same time to increase the visibility of the product and let the product be recognized.

I plan to measure my goal from the list of indicators associated with UN Sustainable Development Goals which are Goal  6  Clean Water and Sanitation, Goal 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy, Goal 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, Goal 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production and Goal 13 - Climate Action. I also measure my goal by seeing the productivity and efficiency of the product. I also measure my goals by using the suitable material with a suitable price. I aim to let this product can be brought by everyone in the future.

For now, we have not come out with any prototype to prove it works. I also need to do the systems separately and finally do the experiments by combining all together. We also cannot estimate hoe the system will affect each other. We also face the difficulties like the system is not efficient during daily day as the amount of electricity be produced will be less at first. However, we believe our system will improve its effectiveness day by day after participating more and more competitions and listening the advice from Professor in the same time doing experiment and modification. We estimate we will also meet no market when trying to promote our product after we successfully be recognized by more and more institutions and agency.

Chan Ning Feng is the person that team up with me in the most of the competition. He will support and help me to paraphrase my essay as well. My next other 2 teammate from marketing and managing courses team up with me to attend Swiss Innovation Challenge ASEAN 2021/22. They give me many advice on how to market this product and calculate the financial requirement of to build the product and they taught me how to be a leader along the competition. We still a team to challenge the second pitch of the competition. Recently, I just team up with another 2 person I just knew in Schneider Go Green 2022 with Ning Feng to use these 2 products to participate. We are now trying to do proposal for the both product.

Due to this solution using 3 systems thus I have find 3 different Professor in different field to give me advise and supervise me when doing the prototype. The 3 professor from school of biology science and electrical and electronic. I am still redesign the independent system to do prototype and after done all prototype independently, I will combine them and improve the solution.

Until now, I have not partner with other organizations except asking advice and supervise with professors from different field in University of Science Malaysia.