Nanotechnology and the Environment
Saturday, June 19th, 2010
While the use of nanotechnology in food and medicine is viewed with some apprehension because of the possibility of unexpected dangers, clean energy is one area where its use is seen as highly promising. Nanomaterials and nanocoatings are considered to offer promising opportunities for energy-related applications such as batteries, supercapacitors, fuel-cells, hydrogen-storage, thermoelectrics and photovoltaics.
The Nano4Energy conference being organized by Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN) at the University of Birmingham will focus on the potential of nanotechnology for clean energy. The conference, to be held on June 30, 2010, will see representatives from Nissan and the Carbon Trust discussing the role of nanotechnology in clean energy solutions.
Reviewing new developments in nanotechnology related to energy generation and energy storage will be a focus area. In particular, new technologies nearing commercialization will be featured at the conference, as will be the companies leading clean energy solutions.
Success in this area requires adequate networking and interactions among the players constituting the supply chain and the conference will provide a forum for industry professionals and academics to discuss the developments and issues.
The representative of Nissan Europe will discuss their new 100% Electric, zero emission, compact car that is expected to push the boundaries of clean energy transport. Another participant, Nanoco, will discuss the use of quantum dots in the manufacture of high efficiency, low-cost solar cells.
Read the release about the conference at the Material Handling World magazine.
Tags: clean energy, clean energy solutions, energy generation, energy storage, nanotechnology
Posted in energy generation, energy storage, nano batteries, nanomaterials, nanotechnology | 1 Comment »
Energy Innovation: The Next Focus Area for the USA?
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010
The members of American Energy Innovation Council (AEIC) include top business leaders such as Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft; Norm Augustine, former Chairman of Lockheed Martin; Ursula Burns, chairman and chief executive of Xerox; John Doerr, partner at Kleiner Perkins; Chad Holliday, chairman of Bank of America and former CEO of DuPont; Jeff Immelt, chief executive of GE; and Tim Solso, chairman and chief executive of Cummins. These leaders have first hand experience of what innovation can do to the country and the world. And they think that the next focus area for US innovation should be in the area of low-cost and clean energy.
AEIC has now produced a report titled “A Business Plan for America’s Energy Future.” The recommendations of the plan include:
- Create a Congressionally mandated Energy Strategy Board charged with (1) developing and monitoring a National Energy Plan for Congress and the executive branch, and (2) oversight of a New Energy Challenge Program.
- Increase investment in clean energy research to more than three times the present amount to $16 billion, to change the present scenario of all the best energy innovations, such as fuel cells, energy storage technologies and wind technologies occurring outside the US.
- …
Read the news release at PR Newswire
Tags: clean energy, energy, energy generation, energy innovation, energy storage
Posted in energy generation, energy storage, environment | 1 Comment »
