216
P. Narsimha et al.
fulfilled by using fossil fuel. After the industrial revolution, an exponential increase
in energy usage has been observed in sectors such as transportation, industrial, and
residential. Choice of the energy source to meet the existing needs is based on the
following factors: availability of energy resource, location of availability, technology
adapted to tap the resource, and associated costs with an account environmental
effects. The energy usage policies and economic status of the country influence the
weightage of the above factors. The conventional sources such as coal, oil, natural
gas, and wood. are still primary sources for energy generation, and these are the
main contributors for CO 2 emission. To mitigate the CO 2 emissions, 195 signatory
countries adopted the historic Paris agreement.
Harvesting energy from renewables is becoming a sustainable alternative as compared to the fossil energy. However, intermittent availability of renewable energy is
a major drawback in replacing the fossil energy for baseload power supply. Hence,
the extensive use of energy storage devices is essential to make the renewable energy
as a sustainable option. In recent days, research is more focused on development
of nanoparticulate technology for sustainable renewable energy conversion, utilization, and storage (Mao et al. 2012). Metal chalcogenide nanomaterials exhibit
good optical and electrical properties and having widespread applications in batteries, photovoltaics, and display devices (Cho et al. 2014; Wu and Lee 2018). The
nano-structuring semiconducting materials such as n-type, p-type, chalcogenide, and
nitrides are being used for conversion to generate hydrogen energy (Alfaifi et al. 2018;
Li and Wu 2015). Different metal nanoparticles such as ZnO, CuO, TiO 2 , and Ag
are used in the form of layers and tubes in dye-based solar cells (Lai et al. 2008; Mor
et al. 2006; Sharma et al. 2015; Suliman et al. 2007).
Nano-structured systems such as nanotubes, hydrides, carbon/hydride nanocomposites, metal–organic frameworks, alanates, and polymer nanocomposites have been
considered as potential candidates for solid-state hydrogen storage (Niemann et al.
2008). Applications of nanotechnology brought revolutionary changes in the area
of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) by improving the following characteristics: operational temperature is reduced to range of 400–700 °C from 700 to 900 °C, reduced
the internal resistance which has been a major problem at low operating temperature
(Abdalla et al. 2018; Fan et al. 2018).
2 Role of Nanomaterial for Energy Generation and Storage
Nanomaterials play a vital role in energy sector where their applications can be
broadly categorized to energy resources, energy transfer/change, energy distribution, energy storage, and energy usage. Examples of nanomaterial applications and
development specifically to energy generation and storage are tabulated in Table 1.
P. Narsimha et al.
fulfilled by using fossil fuel. After the industrial revolution, an exponential increase
in energy usage has been observed in sectors such as transportation, industrial, and
residential. Choice of the energy source to meet the existing needs is based on the
following factors: availability of energy resource, location of availability, technology
adapted to tap the resource, and associated costs with an account environmental
effects. The energy usage policies and economic status of the country influence the
weightage of the above factors. The conventional sources such as coal, oil, natural
gas, and wood. are still primary sources for energy generation, and these are the
main contributors for CO 2 emission. To mitigate the CO 2 emissions, 195 signatory
countries adopted the historic Paris agreement.
Harvesting energy from renewables is becoming a sustainable alternative as compared to the fossil energy. However, intermittent availability of renewable energy is
a major drawback in replacing the fossil energy for baseload power supply. Hence,
the extensive use of energy storage devices is essential to make the renewable energy
as a sustainable option. In recent days, research is more focused on development
of nanoparticulate technology for sustainable renewable energy conversion, utilization, and storage (Mao et al. 2012). Metal chalcogenide nanomaterials exhibit
good optical and electrical properties and having widespread applications in batteries, photovoltaics, and display devices (Cho et al. 2014; Wu and Lee 2018). The
nano-structuring semiconducting materials such as n-type, p-type, chalcogenide, and
nitrides are being used for conversion to generate hydrogen energy (Alfaifi et al. 2018;
Li and Wu 2015). Different metal nanoparticles such as ZnO, CuO, TiO 2 , and Ag
are used in the form of layers and tubes in dye-based solar cells (Lai et al. 2008; Mor
et al. 2006; Sharma et al. 2015; Suliman et al. 2007).
Nano-structured systems such as nanotubes, hydrides, carbon/hydride nanocomposites, metal–organic frameworks, alanates, and polymer nanocomposites have been
considered as potential candidates for solid-state hydrogen storage (Niemann et al.
2008). Applications of nanotechnology brought revolutionary changes in the area
of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) by improving the following characteristics: operational temperature is reduced to range of 400–700 °C from 700 to 900 °C, reduced
the internal resistance which has been a major problem at low operating temperature
(Abdalla et al. 2018; Fan et al. 2018).
2 Role of Nanomaterial for Energy Generation and Storage
Nanomaterials play a vital role in energy sector where their applications can be
broadly categorized to energy resources, energy transfer/change, energy distribution, energy storage, and energy usage. Examples of nanomaterial applications and
development specifically to energy generation and storage are tabulated in Table 1.