Jakarta, June 15 -- The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is developing renewable energy technology through innovative bio-photovoltaic solar cells based on photosynthetic pigments derived from purple bacteria ( Rhodobacter sphaeroides ).

Tulus, a researcher at BRIN's Research Center for Nanotechnology Systems, said in a statement in Jakarta on Monday that the study focuses on utilizing the reaction center-light-harvesting 1 (RC-LH1) photosynthetic protein complex from purple bacteria as a light-absorbing layer in solar cells.

"This biological material is combined with various semiconductor layers to generate charge separation when exposed to sunlight," he explained.

Tulus said the research team employed a layered electrod...