Energy
| Emerging technology | Status | Potentially marginalized technologies | Potential applications | Related articles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vortex engine | Chimney Cooling tower Solar updraft tower | Power generation. | ||
| Airborne wind turbine | Research | Fossil fuels | Producing electricity | KiteGen |
| Artificial photosynthesis | Research, experiments | replicate the natural process of photosynthesis, converting sunlight, water, carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and oxygen | AlgaePARC | |
| Biofuels | Diffusion | Fossil fuels | Energy storage, more so for transport | Issues relating to biofuels |
| Concentrated solar power | Growing markets in California, Spain, Northern Africa | Fossil fuels, photovoltaics | Producing electricity | DESERTEC, BrightSource Energy, Solar Millennium |
| Electric double-layer capacitor | Diffusion, continued development | Chemical batteries | Regenerative braking; energy storage: generally faster charging, longer lasting, more flexible, greener | |
| Flywheel energy storage | Some commercial examples | |||
| Fusion power | Theory, experiments; for 60+ years | Fossil fuels, renewable energy, nuclear fission power | Producing electricity, heat, fusion torch recycling with waste heat | ITER, NIF, Polywell, Dense plasma focus, Muon-catalyzed fusion |
| Generation IV reactor | Research, Experiments | Traditional nuclear power reactors, fossil fuels | Producing electricity, heat, transmutation of nuclear waste stockpiles from traditional reactors | |
| Grid energy storage | Increasing use | |||
| Home fuel cell | Research, commercialisation | Electrical grid | Off-the-grid, producing electricity | Autonomous building, Bloom Energy Server |
| Hydrogen economy | Diffusion of hydrogen fuel cells; theory, experiments for lower cost hydrogen production | Other energy storage methods: chemical batteries, fossil fuels | Energy storage | |
| Lithium-air battery | Research, experiments | Other energy storage methods: hydrogen, chemical batteries, some uses of fossil fuels | Laptops, mobile phones, long-range electric cars; storing energy for electric grid | |
| Lithium iron phosphate battery | Commercialization | |||
| Molten salt battery | Applications and continuing research | |||
| Molten salt reactor | Research, Experiments | Traditional nuclear power reactors, fossil fuels | Producing electricity, heat | |
| Nanowire battery | Experiments, prototypes | Other energy storage methods: hydrogen, chemical batteries, some uses of fossil fuels | Laptops, mobile phones, long-range electric cars; storing energy for electric grid | |
| Nantenna | Research | Fossil fuels | Producing electricity | |
| Silicon–air battery | Experiments | |||
| Smart grid | Research, diffusion | Smart meter, SuperSmart Grid | ||
| Solar roadway | Research | Fossil fuels | Producing electricity | |
| Space-based solar power | Theory | |||
| Thorium fuel cycle | Research started in the 1960s, still ongoing | Uranium based nuclear power, fossil fuels | Producing electricity, heat | |
| Wireless energy transfer | Prototypes, diffusion, short range consumer products | Power cords, plugs, batteries | Wirelessly powered equipment: laptop, cell phones, electric cars, etc. | WiTricity, resonant inductive coupling |
Read more about this topic: List Of Emerging Technologies
Famous quotes containing the word energy:
“After the planet becomes theirs, many millions of years will have to pass before a beetle particularly loved by God, at the end of its calculations will find written on a sheet of paper in letters of fire that energy is equal to the mass multiplied by the square of the velocity of light. The new kings of the world will live tranquilly for a long time, confining themselves to devouring each other and being parasites among each other on a cottage industry scale.”
—Primo Levi (1919–1987)
“Parents find many different ways to work their way through the assertiveness of their two-year-olds, but seeing that assertiveness as positive energy being directed toward growth as a competent individual may open up some new possibilities.”
—Fred Rogers (20th century)
“For infants and toddlers learning and living are the same thing. If they feel secure, treasured, loved, their own energy and curiosity will bring them new understanding and new skills.”
—Amy Laura Dombro (20th century)