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Adding spinach to solar panels nearly triples their efficiency

Daily Mail -- Ask people what they know of spinach's energy-boosting powers, and most people will start talking about Popeye the Sailor Man.

But in a strange twist, it turns out spinach could be placed into solar panels to create a much greater supply of electricity.

Scientists in Tennessee discovered that combining the green-leafed veg with silicon produced a much stronger electrical current in solar cells than present methods.

The team of biomolecular engineers and chemists used the photosynthetic protein in spinach - the vital ingredient that converts light into energy to make plants grow.

Then they combined it with silicon, which is already used in solar cells, in a way that produced an electrical current 2.5 times more powerful that existing solar cells.

The team from Vanderbilt University in

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Submitted Sep 06, 2012 By: DellDude2

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jbrad4 All-Star Author Dallas Posts:801 Points:475,545 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 6:39:24 PM Ignore jbrad4 Report Abuse Good to see increase in solar cell efficiency.
sjf238 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:1,215 Points:647,655 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 3:05:27 PM Ignore sjf238 Report Abuse OK.
TruthMatters Champion Author New Jersey Posts:2,520 Points:533,235 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 1:50:56 PM Ignore TruthMatters Report Abuse And more than 20 times the number of comments posted!
Vette1967 Champion Author Albany Posts:5,957 Points:1,274,050 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 12:55:49 PM Ignore Vette1967 Report Abuse Nice to put Mother Nature to work.
sparky808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:2,993 Points:597,535 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 12:45:07 PM Ignore sparky808 Report Abuse Thank you for posting.
rcornero Sophomore Author Toms River Posts:225 Points:367,560 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 9:27:02 AM Ignore rcornero Report Abuse Are you sure this didn't originate with "The Onion"?
IrishCowboy Champion Author Fort Wayne Posts:1,431 Points:571,605 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 8:18:37 AM Ignore IrishCowboy Report Abuse So what if we put it in our gas tanks?
jrs4125 Champion Author Indiana Posts:2,753 Points:590,770 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 6:54:20 AM Ignore jrs4125 Report Abuse Alrighty then
comprof Champion Author Houston Posts:6,854 Points:1,355,775 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 12:43:34 AM Ignore comprof Report Abuse Very interesting!
afghaned Champion Author Hamilton Posts:11,809 Points:1,284,710 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Sep 7, 2012 12:18:20 AM Ignore afghaned Report Abuse Interesting.
goldrose1 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:10,931 Points:1,923,530 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:29:16 PM Ignore goldrose1 Report Abuse Live with Mother Nature!
kishoreCA Champion Author Ventura Posts:3,112 Points:391,920 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:20:57 PM Ignore kishoreCA Report Abuse now that's interesting... after Corn, now it is Spinach...
LostInNY Champion Author New York Posts:1,711 Points:646,845 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:17:35 PM Ignore LostInNY Report Abuse Hey, get Popeye off the roof!!!!!
Fitwit Champion Author Stockton Posts:6,389 Points:1,353,920 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:11:47 PM Ignore Fitwit Report Abuse Now that is green energy!
Mowerman08 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:4,755 Points:1,216,270 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:07:18 PM Ignore Mowerman08 Report Abuse TRUE GREEN ENERGY :)
firefly09 Champion Author San Diego Posts:2,497 Points:716,700 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:06:03 PM Ignore firefly09 Report Abuse Stop using our food for energy!
ManOfLeisureII Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:1,869 Points:453,175 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:05:55 PM Ignore ManOfLeisureII Report Abuse I knew Popeye always made more sense than Obama.
regout Champion Author Quebec Posts:2,950 Points:831,730 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:04:54 PM Ignore regout Report Abuse We may transfer that energy to cars.
souly Champion Author Montreal Posts:1,760 Points:431,395 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:03:41 PM Ignore souly Report Abuse thanks for the post
1fulltank Champion Author Buffalo Posts:7,898 Points:1,543,335 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:03:39 PM Ignore 1fulltank Report Abuse Wow, and I just found out spinach which I (used to) eat every day is one of the leading causes of kidney stones. Any relevance?
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,463 Points:661,975 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:03:20 PM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse I guess spinach isn't only for popeye.
PrinceLH Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,687 Points:537,070 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 11:01:49 PM Ignore PrinceLH Report Abuse Interesting......
markiesm Rookie Author Fort Worth Posts:79 Points:409,220 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:58:49 PM Ignore markiesm Report Abuse Finally good news for a change
gwill76 Sophomore Author Orlando Posts:169 Points:1,355,790 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:58:05 PM Ignore gwill76 Report Abuse Selling spinach enchildas from a solar powered food truck...this is a million $$ idea...Prez Obama I require a research grant for this project..
Gas_Buzzer Champion Author South Carolina Posts:14,149 Points:2,592,415 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:57:17 PM Ignore Gas_Buzzer Report Abuse It worked for Popeye!
Holly123 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:3,197 Points:789,235 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:56:06 PM Ignore Holly123 Report Abuse Lol Miser709
miser709 Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:1,268 Points:1,069,050 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:53:45 PM Ignore miser709 Report Abuse Try Viagra.
1fuelish1 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:14,801 Points:1,852,495 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:52:27 PM Ignore 1fuelish1 Report Abuse "They'll make power to the finnich, if they use's spinach, says Popeye the Sailor Man (toot, toot!) [Edited by: 1fuelish1 at 9/6/2012 11:53:19 PM EST]
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,061 Points:1,730,260 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:51:35 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse urban myth
goodbuy Champion Author Michigan Posts:7,663 Points:1,421,005 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:51:04 PM Ignore goodbuy Report Abuse Just like putting ethanol in gasoline. I like it.
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,562 Points:1,770,920 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:50:09 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse What happens to solar panels when you add Olive Oil?
LexusLS400 Champion Author Orange County Posts:8,343 Points:1,678,575 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:49:14 PM Ignore LexusLS400 Report Abuse I'm having some for dinner right now!
Fitwit Champion Author Stockton Posts:6,389 Points:1,353,920 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:48:55 PM Ignore Fitwit Report Abuse Now I add spinach to my smoothies, along with mint extract but never would have thought of adding it to solar panels.
SpankyMI Champion Author Kalamazoo Posts:2,703 Points:758,305 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:48:37 PM Ignore SpankyMI Report Abuse Just hope the panels don't spoil in the sun light.
ACTown Champion Author Oregon Posts:2,347 Points:1,428,730 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:48:30 PM Ignore ACTown Report Abuse there goes another food source to satisfy our fuel and energy.
fenster66 Champion Author Pittsburgh Posts:3,345 Points:673,115 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:47:11 PM Ignore fenster66 Report Abuse interesting....
Is246 Champion Author Albuquerque Posts:1,013 Points:426,265 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:46:08 PM Ignore Is246 Report Abuse Nice, keep researching.
Suzy7Q Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:2,172 Points:368,580 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:45:55 PM Ignore Suzy7Q Report Abuse That is wonderful that something good is not always man-made.
MountedShooter Champion Author Georgia Posts:3,075 Points:740,495 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:45:43 PM Ignore MountedShooter Report Abuse Ok.
N4PIP All-Star Author Miami Posts:894 Points:417,480 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:43:57 PM Ignore N4PIP Report Abuse This is excellent news. The sooner we can increase pv panel efficiency, the better. Prices have dropped a lot. It's time to make the switch and get away from utilities.
canfranchiser Veteran Author Riverside Posts:418 Points:394,910 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:43:00 PM Ignore canfranchiser Report Abuse exciting discovery and article.
WinderGuy Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,864 Points:931,630 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:40:28 PM Ignore WinderGuy Report Abuse ok
DustyHorse Champion Author Virginia Posts:6,079 Points:1,390,785 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:40:04 PM Ignore DustyHorse Report Abuse They don't call spinach a super food for nothing.
CdnLynx Champion Author Ontario Posts:1,020 Points:523,005 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:37:28 PM Ignore CdnLynx Report Abuse This is far more beneficial and longer term, then using corn to produce ethanol, as it will not be as consumable, as corn is presently for ethanol. Now, wonder if the scientists, could see if they get the same results with using weeds, would be nice to see if fast growing weeds could be useful to humanity!
unicornIL Veteran Author Chicago Posts:446 Points:384,345 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:36:27 PM Ignore unicornIL Report Abuse there goes the price of spinach
Jeeputtputt Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,002 Points:677,465 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:35:53 PM Ignore Jeeputtputt Report Abuse there goes the cost of spinach..
jimpricehunter Sophomore Author Dallas Posts:242 Points:148,235 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:33:46 PM Ignore jimpricehunter Report Abuse Will this soon start sounding like all the arguments and problems swirling around 'corn'? Seriously, I have a better use for spinach.
rjoeh Champion Author Michigan Posts:7,076 Points:2,469,090 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:33:34 PM Ignore rjoeh Report Abuse No surprise to me with all the iron spinach is supposed to have per my mom when she was alive.
itsjustme719 All-Star Author Hamilton Posts:611 Points:597,700 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:30:42 PM Ignore itsjustme719 Report Abuse Neat.
tidalwave3 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:1,299 Points:1,462,650 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Sep 6, 2012 10:30:31 PM Ignore tidalwave3 Report Abuse Maybe Alternative Energy Sources will finally see GREEN ;)