In the study, the authors used a two-step electrocatalytic process to make
Plants consume acetate when they are at fulldarkness to grow. If solar panels are used in this system, which will generate electricity for electrocatalysis, then as a result such a system will increase the efficiency of converting sunlight into food by 18 times.
Experiments have shown that in the dark it is possiblegrow completely different plants, such as green algae, yeast and mushroom mycelium, which produce mushrooms. Algae production with this technology is about four times more energy efficient, and yeast production is about 18 times more energy efficient.
The authors also explored the potential of thistechnologies for growing cultivated plants. Cowpeas, tomatoes, tobacco, rice, canola, and green peas have all been able to utilize carbon from acetate when grown in the dark.
This approach to food productionpresented at the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge. He became the winner of the first stage. The Deep Space Food Challenge is an international competition that awards prizes to teams that come up with new food technologies. The main goal is to create a system that, at minimal cost, will create the safest, most nutritious and tasty foods for long-term space flights.
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