By harnessing the shells of living organisms in the sea--microscopic algae called diatoms--engineers have tripled the efficiency of experimental dye-sensitized solar cells. The diatoms were fed a diet of titanium dioxide--the main ingredient for thin film solar cells--instead of their usual meal which is silica (silicon dioxide). As a result, their shells became photovoltaic when coated with dyes. The resulting dye sensitize solar cells were three times more efficient than those without the diatoms.
Text: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216500176
