A team of local scientists has developed an eco-friendly, man-made photosynthesis system that can generate hydrogen energy with just light and water.
 
The team led by Seoul National University Professor Nam Ki-tae said Monday that it developed the system after combining photosynthetic protein extracted from plants with semiconductor materials that disintegrate water.
 
The team said that previously, hydrogen energy could be generated by adding vitamins to proteins, but with the new system, energy can be produced by putting semiconductor materials in water and introducing a beam of light.
 
In particular, the team said that the new system makes generating economical energy possible as it uses photosynthetic protein from spinach.
 
The team said the new system could be applied to alternative energy development industries.
 
The research results were published in the Advanced Functional Materials journal.