A crash course in changing the world.
In November 2009 a Danish doctoral student published his work in the area of nanowire fabrication -- the basis of nanotechnology. Those of you with access to the journal Nano Letters can link to the scientific paper while the rest of us see a brief description of the process at the Copenhagen University website http://nano.ku.dk/english/news/krogstrup_301009/
The issue with solar cell technology is that the materials used have specific absorption patterns. By successfully combining separate molecule chains on the same nanowire, the specific absorption patterns of each material are available to store energy. This increases the efficiency of the nanowire and thus of the solar cells constructed with these nanowires.
Without being an expert I cannot be sure how much fantasy is warranted by this innovation. This is where the Urgent Evoke Agent network comes in. My arch-fantasy is that the nanowire solar cells available to Alchemy's network in 2020 will have exotic properties such as an air-conditioning effect on the ambient environment. This would solve the energy crisis and heat island effects simultaneously, as we could convince our Japanese municipal official to undertake a large public works project to line the highways and asphalt surfaces of urban Japan with nanowire solar cell air conditioners!!!!!! I know, it sounds cartoonish, and it probably is. Absorbing large amounts of solar radiation for energy storage while simultaneously emitting clean cold air, without an external energy source to turn excess thermal energy into cool air? No way!
And yet...
Without your expertise I don't know if I'm dreaming of a complete impossibility.
Perhaps, at least, the more efficient nanowire solar cells of 2020 can reduce their residual thermal radiation output and be integrated into the architectural environment so as to provide shade to some parts of the city, which could reduce ambient temperatures. Goodness me, I'm yearning for a sequence of breakthroughs.
Thanks, y'all.
Cameron
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