Powering Up the Energy Sources of the Future
As the risks posed by climate change become more clear, scientists are increasingly looking to renewable sources of energy to help power our cities and lives. Renewable energy is energy generated from sources that can be replenished, such as sunlight, natural heat, and wind. In order for renewable energy sources to truly surpass traditionally, and less environmentally-friendly sources of energy, they must be efficient and cost-effective enough to be truly competitive. Nanotechnology can potentially solve this problem, helping to power the energy sources humans will rely on for years to come.
In the area of solar, nanotechnology could help lower costs both by making the production of photo-voltaic cells cheaper, while also making them more efficient at generating power. A key driver of the efficiency of PV cells is tied to the surface area of conducting materials which can be exposed to sunlight — the greater the surface area in a small volume of space, the more efficient the energy generation. By adding tiny nanoparticles to the surface, the overall surface area can be increased while the structure maintains a similar shape and size to the naked eye. Additionally, by using lighter and cheaper materials such as those built using carbon nanotube structures, the cost of producing the PV cells can be reduced.
One less obvious area in which nanotechnologies are enhancing energy generation is in geothermal energy sources, or energy generated from heat. One typical problem in geothermal energy sources is how deep one must drill in order to find sufficiently hot heat sources — and then the challenge of retaining that heat. In the near future, it may be possible to simplify this process by introducing nanoparticles into the liquids that are being extracted to make them more likely to retain heat and therefore more energy efficient.
Even wind turbines are benefiting from the introduction of nanotechnology and nano-materials. These new materials allow for lighter blades which are actually stronger than the alternative. These blades can even be coated in additional layers of resilient nano-materials to increase their longevity and lower the energy. While renewable sources still must compete with traditional energy sources, it is becoming increasingly clear that by leveraging nanotechnology and materials, these processes can be made efficient enough to help eliminate humans dependence on harmful energy sources.
nanotechnology & design 