From Biomimesis to Bioinspiration: What's the Benefit for Solar Energy Conversion Applications?

Ever-growing global energy consumption, along with climate threats involving anthropogenic activities, places a premium on sustainable and environmentally safe energy sources. Solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface delivers energy at a rate that considerably surpasses the current and projected rates of global energy consumption. Through the millennia of evolution, photosynthesis evolved to harvest solar energy and utilize it for the anabolism of caloric substances that are stored and used as biological fuels. Therefore, the photosynthetic systems are excellent paradigms for solar energy science and engineering. Mimicking photosynthesis provides a means not only to further the solar energy conversion science but also to test and elucidate key aspects of the biological light harvesting. Concurrently, inspiration from the biological and biomimetic advances is a key driving force in the development of solar energy conversion applications. This Perspective presents a view of the role of biomimesis and bioinspiration in meeting the demands for energy and sustainability.