The Solar Share: Redefining the Economy Through Photosynthesis
Nina Zulian
The Solar Share (Horizontal photobioreactor prototype) - Object design by Katharina Ammann Based on an artistic research by @disnovation art collective | Photography Femke Reijerman
What if we could base our economy on the natural processes that sustain all life on Earth?
The Solar Share, a groundbreaking project by Disnovation.org, invites us to reimagine economic systems through the lens of planetary metabolism. By integrating art, science, and technology, this experiment proposes a provocative alternative to conventional economic models.
At its core, The Solar Share features a one-square-metre bioreactor that cultivates microalgae, converting sunlight into edible biomass. This daily yield represents a tangible measure of “solar income”—the new energy harvested by photosynthetic organisms and fundamental to Earth’s ecosystems. Through this photosynthetic “currency,” the project underscores humanity’s reliance on the sun and the intricate energy networks that sustain life.
Challenging Economic Norms
By translating sunlight into a measurable and consumable unit, The Solar Share critiques prevailing economic systems that often disregard the finite nature of planetary resources. Instead of abstract monetary values, this project proposes a metabolic perspective—rooted in photosynthesis—as a foundation for a regenerative global economy.
This shift challenges the assumptions underpinning modern accounting practices. What if value were not tied to profit but to the inherent energy and labour embedded in natural processes? Drawing inspiration from historical plant-based currencies, such as tea bricks and cocoa beans, The Solar Share envisions an economy deeply intertwined with Earth’s ecosystems.
Installed at the Ars Electronica Festival 2024, The Solar Share blends art with ecological research, using technology such as automated spirulina cultivation, live streaming, and custom software to bring its vision to life. By making the invisible visible—the energy flows through trophic levels, the transformation of sunlight into biomass—this project provokes audiences to question humanity’s place within the biosphere.
With collaborators like Katharina Ammann and support from organizations such as the S+T+ARTS program of the European Union, Disnovation.org reframes sustainability as a deep integration with the planet’s limits. The microalgae bioreactor becomes both an artistic statement and a practical exploration of what it means to live within Earth’s “solar budget.”
A Vision for the Future
As humanity faces escalating ecological crises, The Solar Share offers a radical yet grounded framework for regenerative living. It invites us to consider not just how we consume energy, but how we might align our economies with Earth’s natural rhythms. By centring photosynthesis—a process as old as life itself—the project calls for a return to the roots of sustainability, where planetary coexistence takes precedence over infinite growth.
The Solar Share is not just an experiment; it’s a vision of a future where humanity thrives within planetary boundaries. As we “eat the sun” through its edible solar currency, we are reminded of our interconnectedness with the living systems that sustain us.
Co-design: Katharina Ammann | Project assistants: Romain Theron, Léo Lima Co-production: IFT Paris, Xcenter Nova Gorica, ART2M, and More-Than-Planet Co-commissioned by Hac Te with the support of the S+T+ARTS program of the European Union