IT'S A DEFLATIONARY EPOCH:

Solar panels are a wonderful way to capture the sun's energy for electric power. Another way to use solar energy, fast-gaining traction around the world, is to drive chemical reactions with it and create fuels. The technology, called artificial photosynthesis, can be used to split water into hydrogen for fuel, or to make liquid fuels from carbon dioxide and water.

Researchers in Germany and Canada have now taken a big step towards making such solar fuels affordable and commonplace. In a study published in the journal Joule, they report a detailed design for panel-like reactors that could produce hydrogen on rooftops.

The photoreactors are low cost, have a relatively simple design, and could be easily manufactured via mass fabrication techniques using commonly known plastics, say the researchers. And unlike other systems made so far, the design offers high energy efficiency without the need to track the sun. This leads to a compact system that is easier to maintain and operate, making it promising for small rooftop applications.

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