Earlier this semester, Dr Karen Poon's patent application on generating electricity from live algae was accepted by the China's State Intellectual Property Office.
The research focuses on direct electric energy extraction from live algae in algae driven microbial fuel cells during their photosynthetic activities. “Despite getting electricity from algae, you keep them alive,” Dr Poon speaks of her invention.
The Associate Dean of DST adds: “Algae are easy to reproduce, they grow well and live long. Five litres of algae can generate some 30 watts of energy; sufficient to power a light bulb.
“Even if there is no sunlight, the stable power supply can last over an additional of 70 hours.
“Unlike waste-producing bacterial fuel cells or unstable and costly solar energy, this technology is clean, sustainable and economical. It is also useful in developing biosensors and the research for disease mechanisms. In addition to these research fields, algae can also be used in cosmetics, fertilisers and more.” Recently, she has been invited to apply the technology to a local demonstration farm.
Dr Poon says she accidentally discovered the research idea in 2011. She has been working on this project ever since, assisted by several students.
She has employed a patent lawyer to help out with the application process. “The lawyer told me once the application was accepted, the technology had a very high chance to be patented,” she says.
(Republished from MPRO’s UIC Beacon Issue XVI)
