Electro-Agriculture: A More Efficient Solar-Powered Alternative to Photosynthesis

Bioengineers have proposed a novel approach to food production that could significantly reduce the reliance on traditional agriculture. Published on October 23 in the journal Joule, the method, termed “electro-agriculture,” replaces photosynthesis with a solar-powered chemical process to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into acetate, a molecule that plants would be genetically modified to utilize as an energy source. This method aims to overcome the inefficiency of photosynthesis, which currently converts only about 1% of absorbed light energy into chemical energy.

The researchers estimate that adopting electro-agriculture in the U.S. could reduce the land required for food production by 94%. Furthermore, the method could be applied in controlled indoor environments, potentially decoupling agriculture from natural ecosystems. Robert Jinkerson, a biological engineer at the University of California, Riverside, emphasized the need for agriculture to advance technologically, describing the transition to controlled, indoor food production as a critical next step.

The electro-agriculture process involves generating acetate through a chemical reaction between CO2 and water, powered by solar energy. The resulting acetate would then serve as a nutrient for plants grown hydroponically. Other organisms, such as mushrooms, yeast, and algae, which naturally use acetate, could also benefit from this system. Feng Jiao, an electrochemist at Washington University in St. Louis, noted that the process already achieves 4% efficiency, which is four times higher than natural photosynthesis, leading to a smaller carbon footprint.

To implement this system, researchers are working on reactivating a metabolic pathway in plants that enables them to use acetate as an energy source. While this pathway is typically dormant once plants begin photosynthesis, genetic modifications could allow plants to rely entirely on acetate. Initial studies have focused on crops like tomatoes and lettuce, with future research aimed at higher-calorie crops such as cassava and sweet potatoes.

Although plants have not yet evolved to thrive solely on acetate, progress is being made. In the meantime, organisms like mushrooms, yeast, and algae could be commercially grown using this method. Researchers also plan to improve the efficiency of acetate production to further refine the system.