Nanotechnology is the field of science that is being used to develop cleaner, more economical, and more efficient sources of energy. Basically, it has to do with more effective and economical ways of capturing, transmitting, and storing energy. With nanotechnology, more efficient batteries and fuel cells are being developed as a response to the needs of a sustainable modern life. Nanotechnology technologies employ components that measure fewer than 100 nanometers.
Nanotechnology energy is produced through the nanofabrication of certain power-producing devices. Fuel cell batteries made up of nanometer components can power automobiles and other equipment, such as computers. The development of nanotech to power vehicles and other machines is in part a response to the growing scarcity of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels, when compared to nanotechnology energy, do not offer energy that is as clean, plentiful, or economical.
The efficiency of the traditional vehicle fuels, gasoline and diesel, can be increased through nanotechnology, however. When a catalyst is made up of nanoparticles, it is more effective. Also, nanotechnology energy, when it is in the form of enhanced diesel and gasoline fuels, can be produced from previously unusable raw materials, and more economically at that.
Ever since their invention in the late 1870s, Traditional electric light bulbs have used metal filaments to emit light. The metal filament generates a lot of heat, so it is a drain on electricity. White light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are forms of nanotechnology energy that are used to make the production of artificial light more energy-efficient. Semi-conducting organic layers, separated by an area roughly equivalent to 100 nanometers, allow for a minimal amount of required energy for giving off light.
Nanotechnology energy offers alternatives for electrical power generation, especially as far as the heating and air conditioning of homes and other buildings is concerned. The harnessing of unlimited solar energy is the most obvious example. This nanotechnology energy source also has the advantage of eliminating dangerous emissions, like carbon dioxide, which escape into the atmosphere when traditional heating energies like those created from coal and natural gas are used. The use of solar nanotechnology energy is an attempt to cut energy costs, not just in terms of economics, but also in terms of human and animal health problems.