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Industry perspective of nanotechnology and energy Energy and Nanotechnology Media Round Table: Sandton March 2011. Presentation overview. Energy consumption of the world. Uncertain future of fossil fuels. Energy sources available. Available technologies to utilise solar energy

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  1. Industry perspective of nanotechnology and energyEnergy and Nanotechnology Media Round Table: Sandton March 2011

  2. Presentation overview • Energy consumption of the world. • Uncertain future of fossil fuels. • Energy sources available. • Available technologies to utilise solar energy • Some factors inhibiting large scale application of solar energy. • Role of nanotechnology in making solar energy commercially viable. • Summary

  3. World’s energy consumption • Annual global world energy consumption is ±500 Exajoule • 80% of world’s energy from non-renewable fossil fuel • 10% Biomass, 5% Hydro and 5% Nuclear • Less 1% other renewable like wind and solar

  4. Uncertain future of fossil fuels • The use of fossil fuel could be constrainted by the “Perfect Storm” and the advent of the “electron-economy” • Availability and cost • Peak oil (±2017) ? • Peak coal (±2050) ? • Political incentives • Energy being used as a political tool • Special tariffs for alternative energy • Global warming and the role of CO2 • CO2 reduction targets. • Possibility of CO2 tax • Improvements of battery technology and increased popularity of electric car • Hybrid vehicles: Prius, Honda • Electric vehicles: Tesla, Joule, Leaf • Improvements in Li-Ion battery

  5. Energy sources available Solar energy 10 000 more than global energy consumption

  6. Technologies for Solar Energy • CSP Plant in Spain • Parabolic Trough in the USA

  7. Technologies for Solar Energy (continued) Direct production of electricity via photovoltaic (PV) panels cSi PV Panels Thin Film PV panels

  8. Cost factor inhibiting large scale application of solar energy

  9. Scale factor inhibiting large scale application of solar energy • 10% of world’s energy from PV by 2020 • Must install PV panels at 15km2/day • Highway of 300km long and 50m wide per day • Current production techniques not suitable • High temperatures • High vacuum

  10. Role of Nanotechnology Composition of a typical Thin Film PV panel

  11. Role of Nanotechnology (continued) Reduce cost by improving efficiency

  12. Role of Nanotechnology (continue) Roll-to-Roll printing • High material utilization (> 95%) • Throughput 2-5x faster than on glass • 50% less energy

  13. Summary • Solar electricity from photovoltaic (PV) panels has great potential • Large scale application prevented by: • Cost • Manufacturing techniques • Nanotechnology key to develop cost effective solutions • New materials to reduce cost by efficiency improvements • Alternative production techniques e.g. roll-to-roll printing

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