Its 2% more efficient than an actual leaf.

In a development that can be stated to be of the type where the students gets better than the teacher, researchers at Harvard have developed a leaf-like system which can convert light into fuel at a higher percentage than the actual plants themselves.

The technology boils down a pair of electrodes, a jar full of bacteria (Ralstonia eutropha) and a cobalt based water-splitting system.

When electricity passes through this part biological system, the electrodes turn the water into hydrogen gas, a new age fuel which will be increasingly in demand in the coming years. Although the current efficiency of this system is just 10%, surprisingly it is already more efficient that the widely established 8% baseline that is typically used in real world tests.

Scientists are now in the process of figuring out how this technology could be used in a real world scenario. Also they still have to work on a way to connect this bionic system to solar cells. Additionally, they will also have to see how it works in different climatic conditions.

Although it works well in a temperate environment, it is unlikely that it will last in extreme temperatures.

As and when scientists are able to figure out how to operationalise this technology, the world will have another cheap source of eco-friendly energy not dependent on the cooperation of the sun.