I don’t know if this is what the previous poster was getting at, some there is some theoretical evidence that the absorption wavelengths used in photosynthesis are not tuned for maximum power input but for stable power input: https://arxiv.org/abs/1912.12281
If this is the case it would be a motivation that is fundamentally very different than that of a multijunction solar cell.
I've read that paper, I didn't realize the comment was referring to that.
> If this is the case it would be a motivation that is fundamentally very different than that of a multijunction solar cell.
Solar cells are designed by humans with human motivations, and plants are "designed" by evolutionary processes which lack motivation entirely. Yet, in spite of this, there are astonishing similarities between the limitations of solar cells and the limitations of plants. Isn't that fascinating, that processes with such disparate origins have such similarities?
I don’t see any meaningful similarities beyond ‘they absorb light at more than one frequency’. It doesn’t seem particularly fascinating to me; it’s patently obvious that if you absorb at two frequencies you should absorb at two different frequencies.
> I don’t see any meaningful similarities beyond ‘they absorb light at more than one frequency’.
Ah, that's definitely not what I'm talking about. Look at the relationship between efficiency and wavelength for plants and photovoltaics... the similarity is clear.
Both photovoltaics and plants are capable of absorbing specific amounts of energy from incoming photons but not other amounts. Any excess energy becomes waste heat. The reason is because in both systems, the incoming light is used to move electrons from one state to another; the energy required to do this must usually come from one photon.
If this is the case it would be a motivation that is fundamentally very different than that of a multijunction solar cell.