Nanotechnology and Implications for Renewable Energy - Essay Example

Section/# Na chnology and Implications for Renewable Energy It is without question that technology has heavily impacted upon the way in which processes take place within the modern world. The changes in technology over the past hundred years have been profound; giving of mankind the ability to fly, orbit the Earth, visit the moon, create the Internet, build the computer, and perfect the internal combustion engine. As the demand for energy has increased exponentially over the past several decades, commensurate with the increasing global population, nanotechnology is a topic that has a high level of relevance with respect to the development of the world. Of the most promising aspects of technology within the current era has do with the potential of increased efficiency that the use of nano material could provide with regards to solar panels and the collection/retention of solar energy (Yahaha et al. 34). Whereas also fuel, Hydro resources, and many other approaches to providing for the ever increasing energy needs of society have been engaged, the potential for solar energy and the massive amount of energy collection that this could provide is something that has been focused upon which to an increasing degree in recent years (Singh and Singh 193). By and large, nanotechnology has the potential to greatly increase the overall transmission rates and efficiency of collection of the photonic energy that the sun provide; readily transferring it to useful electrons that more advanced batteries/storage systems can utilize as necessary (Perniu et al. 131). For instance, one potential breakthrough that has been discussed with regards to nanotechnology and solar panels is the ease and efficiency in which nano-tech could transform the photons directly into useful energy; without the loss of efficiency or utility that has been noted with existing forms of solar panels. Another aspect that nanotechnology can provide, referring to renewable energy, is one that he individuals consider. Ultimately, the most utilized resource upon the entire planet is that of liquid water. However, as the human population grows and the overall pressure that existing water supplies face increases, the level of potable water has consequently decrease. Whereas the use of liquid water might not readily be understood in terms of a type of renewable energy, the broad application of water, both for cooling nuclear reactors and for providing the energy for hydroelectric dams, is an issue of profound importance; both in terms of renewable energy and in terms of green energy (Wang et al. 2304). In this way, the overall level of pollution that is exhibited within the water resources throughout the world is an issue of supreme concern; and one that requires the expenditure of tens of millions of dollars each and every year in order to filter or otherwise neutralize these particulates. By using nanotech to target specific toxins and eliminate them, or to bond them to a non-harmful compound, nanotech could perform water purification much more efficiently that existing technology does in the form of expensive and difficult to use filtration systems. With the advent of a great level of nanotechnology, it is feasible that such a process could readily be performed at the nano-level; thereby freeing up a great deal of resources from the water purification and filtration process – as well as allowing the global water resources to become more pure and less adulterated over time. Another potential use for nanotechnology, that has recently been analyzed, is utilizing it to promote overall energy efficiency. For instance, even a cursory level of scholarship reveals the fact that the typical incandescent light bulb only transforms 5% of the overall energy it consumes as a means of creating liked. Such a depressing statistic necessarily reveals the fact that there is a 95% in efficiency ratio that can be determined in relation to the traditional incandescent light bulb; still widely utilized around the world. However, with a further understanding of the properties of luminescence that certain molecules are able to promote, research into this particular field of renewable energy creates the potential that nanotechnology might one day diminish the need or reliance upon these traditional sources of light; and the extraordinarily high levels of electricity that are required to be consumed as a means of creating this light. Utilizing the incessant and exponentially increasing energy needs as an impetus, nanotechnology shows great promise with regards to providing a much more efficient transformation of energy to useful light. One set of experiments that has taken place with regards to effecting this has focused upon utilizing nanotechnology as a means of creating naturally reactive/glowing particulates that, when charged with an electrical pulse, are able to keep emitting light for an extended period of time. Environmentalists and scientists continue to argue with respect to whether or not nuclear energy is the cleanest form of energy that can be provided to stakeholders within society. However, outside of this particular debate, it can still be seen that one of the greatest drawbacks to nuclear energy is the long-lasting environmental impacts that the waste creates. Each and every year, millions of dollars are spent with regards to determining how to dispose of spent nuclear fuel (Khunnam and Yupapin 2055). Invariably, even though a great deal of emphasis is placed upon seeking to safeguard this spent nuclear fuel, some certain portion of it finds its way into the ground and pollutes the local environment (Ringga et al. 77). When this does occur, tens of millions of dollars more is spent on and massive environmental cleanup that generally involves bringing in earth movers and removing time after time of soil so that no further contamination could take place (Dharmaraj and Kumar 131). In this way, scientists that are currently researching nanotechnology have proposed that future advances in nanotechnology could potentially create a situation in which nanotechnology would be able to disintegrate the offending radioactive material at an increased rate. In much the same way that nanotechnology could be used to filter water and neutralize key toxins, nanotechnology also holds great promise with regards to neutralizing the effects of nuclear waste and environmental harm. As such, one proposal for future nanotechnology is concentric upon creating nano-machines that are capable of binding to radioactive isotopes; thereby reducing the harm that these isotopes can have upon the extant environment. Harkening back to the discussion which was broached within the introduction to this paper, it can be noted that one of the most profound levels of technological development that is impacted upon the human race, arguably in the course of history, is the development of the computer. Much like the light bulb, previously discussed, the computer consumes a massive amount of energy; therefore rendering a situation in which the overall energy resources that society requires have been exponentially increasing as the overall number of computing devices and requirements that these retain an increased alongside (Choudhary 10). Yet, scientists that study nanotechnology have also proposed a potential solution to this problem. Rather than continuing to rely upon the massive amounts of power to drive the processors and capacitors that provide the computing power for the average PC, many individuals are hopeful that breakthroughs and nanotechnology can provide computing at the micro level; no longer requiring the levels of power that traditional computing has relied upon (Martín-González et al. 293). Such a proposition could be accomplished by miniaturizing the existing framework of circuitry and processing to the cellular and/or molecular level. In such a way, researchers could drastically and immediately effect a dramatic reduction in the overall use of electricity that is required to drive the litany of computing devices that are required within the current world. From the information that is been provided and discussed within this brief analysis, it can be understood that renewable energy, in terms of nanotechnology, is something that requires a great deal of further research and resources to be devoted to it. Naturally, the promise that nanotechnology hold in relation to improving upon the lives of societal stakeholders is profound. However, before the individual concludes that all of these potential benefits to society can be realized within a relatively brief period of time, it must be warned and counsel that nanotechnology is still within the very instant stages of development. In much the same way that Mendeleev and others began to understand the organization of atoms and molecules that helped to define chemistry, scientists within the current era are only now beginning to understand the impact that nanotechnology can have upon the world in which we live and the manner through which humans engage the future problems. As with any new technology, the primary focus of nanotechnology over the next several decades will be concentric upon reducing its overall cost; allowing it to be utilized alongside and instead of traditional approaches due to the fact that it does not represent and necessary decrease in utility or efficiency for the person who engages it. Works Cited Choudhary, R. B. "Nano Replicating Approaches For Future Production Of Pollution Free Renewable Energy Packages." Chemical Business 22.7 (2008): 10. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. Dharmaraj, C.H, and S. Adish Kumar. 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