[partner id="wireduk"]By Philippa Warr

An £800,000 research project aims to artificially replicate the process of photosynthesis in a bid to harness the sun's energy more efficiently.

The project has earmarked the process by which plants, cyanobacteria and other photosynthetic organisms create food using light energy for use in engineering fuels more useful to industry.

But rather than the familiar formula converting carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen, the process would look to use light energy to generate hydrogen, which could then be used as a zero emission fuel.

The project, led by biophysical chemist Julea Butt at the University of East Anglia, will be a collaborative effort between colleagues at UEA, the University of Cambridge and the University of Leeds.

"Reserves of fossil fuels are dwindling, and fuel prices are rising, so it's really vital that we look to renewable energy supplies," said Butt. "We have been inspired by natural plant processes. During plant photosynthesis, fuels are made naturally from the energy in sunlight."

According to Butt, part of the artificial photosynthesis process involves fitting microbes with tiny solar panels.

"These will harness sunlight and drive the production of hydrogen, from which the technologies to release energy on demand are well-advanced."

If successful, the technology could be used power the creation of pharmaceuticals or in the creation of other fuels.

Via Wired.co.uk