Heraclitus
Greek Philosopher
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Nothing endures but change.
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Many may say we are in the age of science and technology.
More fundamentally we are in the age of energy.
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In the past we passed evolutionary hurdles...the Stone Age...the Bronze Age...the Dark Age.
Our current evolutionary age is centered around energy.
Without energy we would not have the technology we take for granted. I imagine it would be difficult to twitter using a rock.
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As the world develops, energy consumption will increase.
More natural resources will be depleted if we continue business as usual.
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Efficiency, Innovation, Research & Development will help.
Societal perception, both business and the individual need to change.
On the most basic level, habitat and habit consume the most energy.
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Stardust Mission
Aerogel Particle Collector
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Air conditioning and heating constitute the most energy consumption.
For over 70 years we've had a solution. NASA used it on the Stardust mission.
It is called Aerogel, the lightest known solid. Open Source Aerogel shows you how to make it yourself.
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Aerogel
Superior Insulator
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Aerogel, a solid comprised approxmiately of 98% air and 2% silicon is a superior insulator.
Recently, Aspen Aerogels has been able to master the manufacturing process so that aerogel could be used as building insulation.
Coats made with Aerogel are 3x as efficient at retaining heat as the best commercially available material.
Using Aerogel insulation in living space will lower energy consumption.
Imagine using Aerogel insulation along with more efficient air conditioners and heaters.
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Sharp
Solar Cellphone
Sharp
Solar LCD Display
Earth Tech Products
Laptop Charger
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We use a vast array of energy consuming devices such as televisions, computers and cell phones.
Within the past few years, we've seen a small emergence of devices that are harnessing sunlight to provide power or charge batteries.
In the future devices may be entirely self-sufficient or use wireless solar energy transmitters. This will prove possible by making devices more energy efficient.
Intel is working on making processors that use less energy.
New OLED displays being brought to market use less energy than LCD and Plasma displays.
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Bank Monitor
Monitoring individual batteries
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Being able to extend the lifetime of a material decreases resource depletion.
In this respect and solar energy capture, individually measuring batteries and replacing them contribute to efficiency as attributed to a project I completed.
Likewise, lengthening the lifetime of solar panels decreases resource depletion. On average a solar panel loses 5% efficiency per year of use.
Here's an idea, why not shield a solar panel from harmful radiation to increase its lifetime (IR/UV)? Why not use existing technology in photography and exhibit displays on solar panels?
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Solar Sheath
Multiple energy capture
Solar Sheath
Phase One
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In 2006, Boeing (Spectrolab, Inc) developed multijunction solar cells (each layer captures specific wavelength) that are 40% efficient.
The Solar Sheath is a new technology under development I'm working on designed to create power from multiple sources using nanotechnology (light, radiation and thermal).
Phase one is complete (see exhibit) and I'm working on phase two.
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Solar Gel Battery
Energy capture & storage Since my proof of concept work in 2009 (above), there has been similiar research from 2013-2015 with Lithium batteries here
Nuclear Battery
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There have been efforts to combine thin film solar cells, wrapped around batteries to provide a solution of generating and storing energy.
Another project I've been working on departs from this approach to the development of a gel that captures solar energy and stores it in a transparent shell.
Not withstanding, nuclear batteries have been evolving as well, used safely in devices such as pacemakers. More recently, development is being done to serve as long-term power for devices such as cellphones and laptops.
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CO2 to plastic
CO2 to fuel
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CO2 has been touted by some as the single largest threat to life. I don't know if this is true or not.
What I do know is we can convert the CO2 into fuel for vehicles and into different forms of plastic.
So, why not set up businesses (new source of revenue) that take industrially created CO2 (from coal energy plants or industrial refineries) to create material that could be used in construction (plastic lasts longer than wood and can be reformed) and fuel for vehicles?
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In looking at the age of Earth and the Universe, it really is not that long ago that we all had to think short-term to survive day to day.
We no longer have to hunt for food, farm or migrate.
We have much more time now to think, to create and to shape our future.
For us to master our evolution into energy we need to think long-term.
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Heraclitus
Greek Philosopher
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Nothing endures but change. ~ Heraclitus
We need to take the step of becoming responsible.
Perhaps we start by experimenting or creating a system and buying components, part by part.
Perhaps we take advantage of subsidies or discounts offered by power companies or solar panel providers.
The most important thing is that we take that step. That we embrace the Age of Energy not only for ourselves but for the future.
If we change our thinking and behavior, we will overcome the Age of Energy and endure.
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