Research and Development Concerning Green Energy

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Renewable energy sources have been known for quite some time. As early as 1839, physicist Edmond Becquerel was able to explain photovoltaic outcomes. In the 1870s, carpenter and millwright Lester Pelton came up with the first design of a water turbine. These were the early forms of what we know today as green energy. Clean technologies are classified according to first, second, and third generations.

Research and development concerning green energy

The first generation of green energy, which became known in the late 19th century, consists of biomass power, geothermal power, and hydroelectricity. Those that belong to the second generation are photovoltaics, solar cooling and heating technologies, and wind power, as well as contemporary models of bioenergy, such as the use of ethanol fuel produced from crops. They are classified as such, because they have already been commercialized following years of research in the 1980s. The third generation, which is subject to ongoing research and development (R&D) includes advanced biomass gases, biorefinery, concentrating solar thermal power, hot-dry-rock geothermal power (or enhanced geothermal systems), and ocean or tidal energy.

Breakthroughs in green energy

Current developments in solar energy include the use of nanotechnology, which allows the production of circuitry for solar panels from silicon molecules. These panels which are said to be as thin as film and can generate up to 430 megawatts are expected to hit markets in 2010. Enhanced geothermal systems utilize the strong heat from underground rocks and apply high-pressure water into the rocks to produce hot water, which in turn generates electricity. Research on how these technologies can be made available for public consumption is still ongoing.