Nanoscale design to enable the revolution in renewable energy

• DOI: 10.1039/b821698c
• Publication Date: 2009-03-10T12:00:17Z
• Authors: Jason Baxter; Zhixi Bian; Gang Chen; David Danielson; Mildred S. Dresse...; Andrei G. Fedorov; Timothy S. Fisher; Christopher W. Jones; Edward Maginn; Uwe Kortshagen; Arumugam Manthiram; Arthur Nozik; Debra R. Rolison; Timothy Sands; Li Shi; David Sholl; Yiying Wu
• Keywords: Time line; Emerging Technologies

The creation of a sustainable energy generation, storage, and distribution infrastructure represents global grand challenge that requires massive transnational investments in the research development technologies will provide amount needed on sufficient scale timeframe with minimal impact environment have limited economic societal disruption during implementation. In this opinion paper, we focus an important set solar, thermal, electrochemical conversion, conservation specifically related to recent prospective advances nanoscale science technology offer high potential addressing challenge. We approach task from two-fold perspective: analyzing fundamental physicochemical principles engineering aspects these identifying unique opportunities enabled by design materials, processes, systems order improve performance reduce costs. Our principal goal is establish roadmap for activities would significantly advance accelerate implementation renewable technologies. all cases make specific recommendations needs near-term (2–5 years), mid-term (5–10 years) long-term (>10 as well projecting timeline maturation each technological solution. also identify number priority themes basic cut across entire spectrum anticipate conclusions herein be use not only technical community, but policy makers broader public, occasionally admitted emphasis US perspective.