BioChem Paper
Matt Lemming
Biochemistry 100
5/9/2001
Final Exam: Energy Policy One solution to solving the world’s energy policy could be to invest more government spending into nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is manipulating an atom down to its molecular scale in order to change its complexion. An example of nanotechnology is Thermocells, which have been introduced by using carbon nanotube technology, and can provide up to three times the amount of energy than a normal cell. Thermocells look and feel like a standard cell phone battery but instead of the battery continuously running out of energy and needing recharging it constantly generates electricity so there is no need for recharging. Another example of nanotechnology is in the field of solar energy. The very best solar cells existing today only absorb about forty percent of the suns rays while commercially available cells only absorb about twenty percent of the suns rays. With increased research scientists can find out more on bandgaps or energy gaps, which in a solid state have a lack of electrons. If we can utilize bandgaps then we can change the structure of the solar panels causing them to absorb more sunlight. In 2005 the University of Toronto introduced a spray on solar collector that using nanoparticles can change the complexity of the spray to cause whatever it is applied upon to transform it into a solar collector (Water Scarcity). Nanotechnology is also being used in everyday things such as stain resistant clothes, bacterial detectors in food such as corn, and shorts with built in sunscreen. Nuclear power is a highly debated resource because it is very efficient but can also be very dangerous. I for one do not like nuclear energy because it is hazardous but it is almost impossible to stay away from now. Nuclear energy produces lots of energy at a high efficiency rate. Even though I would include it into my energy policy I would also look for better alternatives. Even though we are running out of
Biochemistry 100
5/9/2001
Final Exam: Energy Policy One solution to solving the world’s energy policy could be to invest more government spending into nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is manipulating an atom down to its molecular scale in order to change its complexion. An example of nanotechnology is Thermocells, which have been introduced by using carbon nanotube technology, and can provide up to three times the amount of energy than a normal cell. Thermocells look and feel like a standard cell phone battery but instead of the battery continuously running out of energy and needing recharging it constantly generates electricity so there is no need for recharging. Another example of nanotechnology is in the field of solar energy. The very best solar cells existing today only absorb about forty percent of the suns rays while commercially available cells only absorb about twenty percent of the suns rays. With increased research scientists can find out more on bandgaps or energy gaps, which in a solid state have a lack of electrons. If we can utilize bandgaps then we can change the structure of the solar panels causing them to absorb more sunlight. In 2005 the University of Toronto introduced a spray on solar collector that using nanoparticles can change the complexity of the spray to cause whatever it is applied upon to transform it into a solar collector (Water Scarcity). Nanotechnology is also being used in everyday things such as stain resistant clothes, bacterial detectors in food such as corn, and shorts with built in sunscreen. Nuclear power is a highly debated resource because it is very efficient but can also be very dangerous. I for one do not like nuclear energy because it is hazardous but it is almost impossible to stay away from now. Nuclear energy produces lots of energy at a high efficiency rate. Even though I would include it into my energy policy I would also look for better alternatives. Even though we are running out of
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