In a groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications, Chinese researchers devised a hybrid solar-driven system that transforms carbon dioxide into C₆ sugar (L‑sorbose) using a one-step electrocatalytic reactor powered by photovoltaics, followed by a tandem five-enzyme biocatalytic cascade—achieving an impressive solar-to-sugar conversion efficiency of 3.5%, over three times that of natural photosynthesis
🚀 4 Game‑Changing Steps
1️⃣ Photovoltaic-powered electrocatalysis
A bismuth-nanowire catalyst in a flow reactor uses solar-powered electricity to convert CO₂ into formate efficiently—solving the mass-transfer limit of CO₂ solubility
2️⃣ Efficient enzyme cascade
The generated formate is fed into a cascade of five enzymes that incrementally build L‑sorbose, a six-carbon sugar, through formaldehyde and glycolaldehyde intermediates .
3️⃣ High energy conversion
The system operates continuously in flow-cell bioreactors, achieving 105 mg/L/h yield and 3.5% solar-to-sugar efficiency, significantly outperforming plant-based systems
4️⃣ Scalable and flexible
The platform is modular and could be adapted to produce other sugars or nutrients. It’s suitable for confined environments like space stations or urban biorefineries
🌍 Why It Matters
- Photosynthesis challenger: With over 3× efficiency, this artificial system offers a promising alternative to crop-based sugar production.
- Food production reimagined: It enables sugar synthesis without farmland, reducing water and land use—critical under climate stress .
- Green chemistry & carbon capture: CO₂ is captured and upcycled, potentially cutting greenhouse emissions and building a circular economy
- Next-gen biomanufacturing: The same platform could synthesize starch, amino acids, or other bio-products from CO₂, powering space missions or remote communities
🔭 What’s Next
- Broader sugar portfolio: Adapting enzyme cascades to produce glucose, sucrose, starch, or sweeteners.
- Efficiency scaling: Enhancing photovoltaic integration and catalyst performance for industrial scale-up.
- Cost reduction: Optimizing bioreactor design and enzyme production to lower costs.
- Commercial and space applications: Deploying in biorefineries and life-support systems in space or remote locations.
✅ Bottom Line
Researchers have successfully demonstrated a high-efficiency, solar-driven method that converts CO₂ into white sugar using a two-stage system—electrocatalysis to formate, then enzyme cascades—achieving 3.5% conversion efficiency. This innovation heralds a revolution in food production, environmental resilience, and sustainable biomanufacturing.
