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Title: Transformative research issues and opportunities in alternative energy generation and storage.

Abstract

This article presents a summary of research issues and opportunities in alternative energy source research identified by panels of experts assembled by the Engineering Directorate of the US National Science Foundation. The objective was to identify transformative research issues and opportunities to make alternative energy sources viable. The article presents motivations for energy research, grand challenges, and specific challenges in the research areas covered. The grand challenges identified for the United States include supplying 30% of US electricity from photovoltaics by 2030, supplying 25% of US electricity from wind by 2025, displacing 30% of US hydrocarbon use by 2030 with bio-based products, and providing a practical 250-300 W h/kg energy storage system by 2025. Similar challenges could be outlined along the same lines for the remainder of the world. Examples of specific areas of research focus identified as promising include high performance p-type transparent conductors, multijunction thin-film photovoltaic devices, defects in chalcogenide semiconductors, experimental study and numerical modeling of the fluid mechanics of airflow as applied to wind turbines, improved materials for wind turbines, methods for creating high energy density transportable biological feedstocks, biorefinery processes yielding infrastructure-compatible biofuels and biochemicals directly, and improved electrodes and electrolytes for Li ion batteries.more » Arguments for each of these as research priorities are given.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1050155
Report Number(s):
ANL/ES/JA-67248
Journal ID: ISSN 1359-0286; COSSFX; TRN: US201218%%508
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC02-06CH11357
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 15; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1359-0286
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH
Subject:
17 WIND ENERGY; 25 ENERGY STORAGE; BIOFUELS; CHALCOGENIDES; DEFECTS; ELECTRICITY; ELECTRODES; ELECTROLYTES; ENERGY DENSITY; ENERGY SOURCES; ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS; FLUID MECHANICS; HYDROCARBONS; NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION; PERFORMANCE; SIMULATION; STORAGE; WIND TURBINES

Citation Formats

Rockett, A, Chung, Y W, Blaschek, H, Butterfield, S, Chance, R R, Ferekides, C, Robinson, M, Snyder, S W, Thackeray, M, ES), Univ. of Illinois), Northwestern Univ.), Boulder Wind Power), Georgia Tech), Univ. of South Florida), and National Renewable Energy Lab.). Transformative research issues and opportunities in alternative energy generation and storage.. United States: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.1016/j.cossms.2010.09.001.
Rockett, A, Chung, Y W, Blaschek, H, Butterfield, S, Chance, R R, Ferekides, C, Robinson, M, Snyder, S W, Thackeray, M, ES), Univ. of Illinois), Northwestern Univ.), Boulder Wind Power), Georgia Tech), Univ. of South Florida), & National Renewable Energy Lab.). Transformative research issues and opportunities in alternative energy generation and storage.. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cossms.2010.09.001
Rockett, A, Chung, Y W, Blaschek, H, Butterfield, S, Chance, R R, Ferekides, C, Robinson, M, Snyder, S W, Thackeray, M, ES), Univ. of Illinois), Northwestern Univ.), Boulder Wind Power), Georgia Tech), Univ. of South Florida), and National Renewable Energy Lab.). 2011. "Transformative research issues and opportunities in alternative energy generation and storage.". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cossms.2010.09.001.
@article{osti_1050155,
title = {Transformative research issues and opportunities in alternative energy generation and storage.},
author = {Rockett, A and Chung, Y W and Blaschek, H and Butterfield, S and Chance, R R and Ferekides, C and Robinson, M and Snyder, S W and Thackeray, M and ES) and Univ. of Illinois) and Northwestern Univ.) and Boulder Wind Power) and Georgia Tech) and Univ. of South Florida) and National Renewable Energy Lab.)},
abstractNote = {This article presents a summary of research issues and opportunities in alternative energy source research identified by panels of experts assembled by the Engineering Directorate of the US National Science Foundation. The objective was to identify transformative research issues and opportunities to make alternative energy sources viable. The article presents motivations for energy research, grand challenges, and specific challenges in the research areas covered. The grand challenges identified for the United States include supplying 30% of US electricity from photovoltaics by 2030, supplying 25% of US electricity from wind by 2025, displacing 30% of US hydrocarbon use by 2030 with bio-based products, and providing a practical 250-300 W h/kg energy storage system by 2025. Similar challenges could be outlined along the same lines for the remainder of the world. Examples of specific areas of research focus identified as promising include high performance p-type transparent conductors, multijunction thin-film photovoltaic devices, defects in chalcogenide semiconductors, experimental study and numerical modeling of the fluid mechanics of airflow as applied to wind turbines, improved materials for wind turbines, methods for creating high energy density transportable biological feedstocks, biorefinery processes yielding infrastructure-compatible biofuels and biochemicals directly, and improved electrodes and electrolytes for Li ion batteries. Arguments for each of these as research priorities are given.},
doi = {10.1016/j.cossms.2010.09.001},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1050155}, journal = {Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science},
issn = {1359-0286},
number = 1,
volume = 15,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011}
}