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The latest news and blog posts from the World Nano Foundation.
How can Nanotechnology impact Climate Change?
Climate change poses a significant threat to our environment and society, driving urgent needs for innovative solutions. Nanotechnology, with its ability to manipulate matter at an atomic level, could be a key player in this battle.
Energy Efficiency
Nanotechnology can improve energy efficiency in various applications. For instance, nanoparticles can be used to enhance the insulation properties of materials, thereby reducing heating and cooling needs in buildings. Nano-enhanced materials can also improve the efficiency of lighting and electronic devices.
Renewable Energy
The development of nanomaterials can lead to more efficient solar panels, as nanoparticles can be designed to absorb more light and convert it into energy more efficiently than traditional materials. Similarly, nanotechnology can improve the efficiency and capacity of batteries, making renewable energy sources like wind and solar more viable by improving energy storage.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
Nanotechnology can play a role in enhancing CCS technologies. Nanomaterials can potentially absorb or separate carbon dioxide more effectively than current materials used in CCS, making the process more efficient and cost-effective.
Green Manufacturing
Nanotechnology can contribute to more sustainable manufacturing practices. Nanoscale catalysts, for example, can help in reducing waste and enhancing the efficiency of chemical processes, leading to lower emissions.
Environmental Cleanup
Nanotechnology can be applied in environmental remediation. Nanoparticles can be designed to target specific pollutants like heavy metals or organic compounds, breaking them down or facilitating their removal from the environment.
Agriculture
Nanotechnology can lead to more efficient and less resource-intensive agricultural practices. Nano-enhanced fertilizers and pesticides can improve their effectiveness, reducing the quantities needed and minimizing runoff into water systems.
Monitoring and Reporting
Nanosensors can be deployed to monitor environmental conditions and pollution levels, providing real-time data that is essential for effective climate change mitigation strategies.
Conclusion
the application of nanotechnology in addressing climate change is a promising frontier. It offers a unique approach to enhancing renewable energy technologies, improving energy efficiency, and aiding in effective environmental remediation. While it's not a standalone solution, nanotechnology's role in complementing other climate change mitigation strategies could be vital. As research progresses, it is crucial to balance innovation with considerations of safety and environmental impact, ensuring that nanotechnology contributes positively to our collective efforts against climate change.
Nanosensor and Digital Twin technologies come together at COP26 to help deliver a circular economy as part of the race to zero
Deploying billions of highly accurate and secure nanosensors interconnected to a global Digital Twin network can enable real-time monitorisation of emissions within urban and agricultural environments.
Nanosensors and Digital Twins are forecast to be pivotal to discussions between international nations and bodies at COP26 in Glasgow, the UK, from October 31st until November 12th and predicted to have a significant impact on the future of carbon tracking.
This technology collaboration will enable global organisations to reward organisations and people globally for tracking and managing emissions to reverse Climate Change while holding to account countries and industries that don't.
Sensors can be positioned in every urban and rural space, including major rainforests and polluting cities, allowing global carbon emission tracking with unprecedented real-time accuracy.
Digital Twin technology will calculate the carbon emission data gathered by nanosensors, providing a globally sharable, highly accurate representation of how countries, companies, households, and individuals manage emissions in a way that supports the creation of a circular economy - a key sustainability strategy for the world as well as industry leaders to fight climate change.
This particular model for a circular economy is still evolving in terms of data and metrics, but indicators suggest this approach and enabling technologies such as Nanotechnology, and Digital Twins are vital to holding people to account while rewarding industry, governments, and the public for their work in driving down carbon emissions to net-zero.
Former Brazilian ambassador and diplomat and a Harvard scholar, Arnildo Schildt, has been developing a project based on this new model and will be presenting this at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, UK (October 31st to November 12th) – an event being billed as a catalyst for action and tech adoption in the Climate Change battle.
This project will use nanosensors to track deforestation and pollution to help accurately manage carbon credits and offsets, enabling the reduction of emissions and highly accurate tracking of data on deforestation.
Schildt said: "We have been working tirelessly now for two years developing a model with governments, the UN, international banks, academics and industry partners as well as investors to harness the power of Digital Twin and nanosensor technology to solve two massive challenges for our environment simultaneously.
"We have a delegation going to COP26 and will follow this with other partnership meetings in the UK, Canada and the US straight after the Glasgow event to make this a reality."
Schildt's initiative in vital rural areas mirrors the urban and agricultural work conducted by US-based Cityzenith, which uses Digital Twin technology to decarbonise the built environment, tracking, managing, and reducing emissions in buildings across metropolitan areas and major international cities as well as linking this to carbon rewards, credits, and other global incentive programs for sustainability.
Cityzenith was referenced by an independent global research group report from ABI research on the 28th of October, naming the company one of three, including The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Vodafone, that can deliver the infrastructure required for a functional circular economy.
Currently, cities generate 70% of world emissions. Cityzenith’s international Clean Cities – Clean Future initiative has major world cities joining the program, using its Digital Twin platform SmartWorldOS to reduce carbon emissions in buildings by 50-100%, operating costs by 35% and increase productivity by 20%, another independent report by Ernst and Young on Digital Twins aligns with this.
Las Vegas and New York were the first two cities to sign up, with projects in Phoenix and others expected to follow over the next few months.
Cityzenith CEO Michael Jansen said: "We are confident that the Clean Cities – Clean Future initiative will demonstrate the combined power of Digital Twin and IoT technology to transform mobility, walkability, and emissions/air pollution, while linking all of this to carbon rewards and other carbon related incentives via one interconnected Digital Twin platform.
"And COP26 can play a huge role in bringing the climate crisis into the public spotlight, by acknowledging and backing technologies such as Digital Twins and nanotechnology to make a difference in the fight to protect the planet."
The UK will also bring a national Digital Twin program to the summit through Anglian Water, BT, and UK Power Networks, which have partnered to foster better outcomes for the built environment.
The project aims to deliver an Information Management Framework which can ensure secure, resilient data sharing and effective information management. At the same time, the program identifies a range of benefits to society, business, the environment, and the broader economy.
Co-Founder of the World Nano Foundation, Paul Sheedy, said:
"Nanotechnologies such as nanosensors and quantum dots can track and monitor anything, holding and transmitting infinite amounts of secure data around the world.
"Combining nanotechnology with advanced Digital Twin platforms is game-changing for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and ESG investors that support such impact investing."
Nanotechnology and Digital Twins were both named in 2021 as the top 5 tech growth sectors forecast to quadruple over the next five years; each sector is predicted to enjoy a combined growth of more than 400% in that time.
Tech investing is the key to Biden’s ‘Race to Zero’ to avoid climate crisis
President Biden’s ‘Race to Zero’ to reduce carbon emissions is underway, and go-ahead companies are jockeying to deliver emerging tech solutions to win it.
Leading nations including the USA (2nd biggest carbon emitter globally*), UK (17th), France (19th), Denmark, New Zealand, Japan(5th), and South Korea (8th) have committed to reaching net-zero by 2050. The world’s No1 emitter, China, has committed to net-zero by 2060. However, the International Energy Agency forecasts 2021 carbon emissions will be the second-highest ever recorded annually.
"It's easy to see the financial and environmental benefits of using advanced technology to accelerate the launch of ‘Race to Zero’, pushing back against urban pollution, health risk and Climate Change and a future multi-trillion-dollar cost in economic and environmental damage," said Vector Innovation Fund Co-Founder & The World Nano Foundation’s Paul Stannard.
Cities cover just 3% of the Earth but contribute 70% of global carbon emissions. Advanced technologies can provide the essential interconnectivity to drive this down.
Yet many tech companies say the tools for reaching net-zero already exist. One sector, in particular, is forging ahead in the battle to reduce carbon emissions in our cities using AI Digital Twin technology.
One Digital Twin market pioneer involved is Cityzenith’s whose SmartWorldOS™ software platform can create virtual replicas of buildings and urban areas to track, manage and optimize carbon emissions to minimize environmental damage.
The US company’s tech is currently deployed in multiple international megaprojects, including a substantial ground-breaking de-carbonization energy scheme for US cities.
Cityzenith’s CEO Michael Jansen said, “Cities are the key battleground, and that’s why we made our ‘Clean Cities – Clean Future’ pledge to donate our SmartWorldOS™ software platform to key cities one by one to drive down their carbon emission”.
Swiss-based company Climeworks has focused on carbon capture rather than emission management. Its Orca facility is designed to suck some 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the air each year.
Climeworks Christoph Beuttler believes carbon capture facilities like Orca must go mainstream if we are to reach net-zero:
"In order to stay within the 1.5-degree goal (to avoid Climate Change), we have 8-10 years left of current emissions, and we will not make that so, globally, we will have to remove CO2 from the atmosphere permanently."
Fortunately, technology now attracts significant investment. Cityzenith has added over 5000 investors as part of its $15m Regulation A+ crowdfunding raise since the end of 2020. Climate-focused investment funds such as US-based Congruent Ventures and the European fund, 2150, have recently supported start-ups and companies developing essential climate solutions. This form of investment is forecasted to run into trillions of dollars in the next 5 to 10 years.
But Cityzenith's Jansen added: " We must invest immediately, to act now and more effectively to protect our planet. "
Jansen's upcoming FREE investment webinar, 'Join The Race to Zero – Investing in Technology For Sustainable Cities,' will take place virtually on Tuesday 11 May at 08:00 CT and 13:00 CT. To learn more about using emerging tech to combat Climate Change, please sign up here.
Nanotechnologies are poised to have a huge impact on agriculture
Science is about big ideas that change the world. But sometimes, big impacts come from the tiniest of objects.
Nanotechnology might sound like science fiction, but it represents technologies that have been developed for decades. Nanotechnological approaches have found real-world applications in a wide range of areas, from composite materials in textiles to agriculture.
Agriculture is one of the oldest human inventions, but nanotech provides modern innovations that could dramatically improve the efficiency of our food supply and reduce the environmental impact of its production.
Agriculture comes with costs that farmers are only too familiar with: Crops require substantial amounts of water, land and fuel to produce. Fertilizers and pesticides are needed to achieve the necessary high crop yields, but their use comes with environmental side effects, even as many farmers explore how new technologies can reduce their impact.
The tiniest of objects
Nanotechnology is the science of objects that are a few nanometres—billionths of a meter—across. At this size, objects acquire unique properties. For example, the surface area of a swarm of nanoscale particles is enormous compared to the same mass collected into single large-scale clump.
Varying the size and other properties of nanoscale objects gives us an unprecedented ability to create precision surfaces with highly customized properties.
Employing particles
Traditionally, applying chemicals involves first mixing the active ingredients in water and then spraying the mixture on crops. But the ingredients do not mix easily, making this an inefficient process that requires large quantities of water.
To improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact, farmers need their fertilizers and pesticides to reach their crops and be absorbed into the plant exactly where they're needed—into the roots or the leaves, for example. Ideally, they could use just enough of the chemical to enhance the crop's yield or protect it from attack or infection, which would prevent excess from being wasted.
Custom-made nanoscale systems can use precision chemistry to achieve high-efficiency delivery of fertilizers or pesticides. These active ingredients can be encapsulated in a fashion similar to what happens in targeted drug delivery. The encapsulation technique can also be used to increase the amount dissolved in water, reducing the need for large amounts.
Current applications
Starpharma, a pharmaceutical company, got into this game a few years ago, when it set up a division to apply its nanotechnological innovations to the agriculture sector. The company has since sold its agrochemical business.
Psigryph is another innovative nanotech company in agriculture. Its technology uses biodegradable nanostructures derived from Montmonercy sour cherries extract to deliver bioactive molecules across cell membranes in plants, animals and humans.
My lab has spent years working in nanoscience, and I am proud to see our fundamental understanding of manipulating polymer encapsulation at the nanoscale make its way to applications in agriculture. A former student, Darren Anderson, is the CEO of Vive Crop Protection, named one of Canada's top growing firms: they take chemical and biological pesticides and suspend them in "nanopackets"—which act as incredibly small polymer shuttles—to make them easily reach their target. The ingredients can be controlled and precisely directed when applied on crops.
Existing infrastructure
One bonus of these nanotech developments is that they don't actually require any new equipment whatsoever, which is a tremendous advantage in the financially challenging agricultural industry. Farmers simply mix these products using less water and fuel to make efficiency gains.
Other agricultural uses for nanotech include animal health products, food packaging materials and nanobiosensors for detecting pathogens, toxins and heavy metals in soil. It wouldn't be a surprise to see the widespread use of these new applications in the near future.
As nanotechnologies take flight, this kind of productivity gain will be critical for farmers and a big deal for the rest of us, as the Earth's population continues to grow and the effects of climate change become increasingly obvious. Farmers will need to do more with less.
Fortunately, a few billionths of a meter is the very definition of less. With the help of tiny nanotech, global agriculture is on the verge of some very big things.
Image: Shutterstock - Vadym Zaitsev
How nanotechnology can help to combat climate change
Nanotechnology is quickly becoming one of the most important elements of modern science. With the looming uncertainty around climate change ahead, nanotechnology for certain will be playing a part in helping to try and protect our planet.
Nano CO2 Harvesters
Researchers have developed Nano CO2 harvesters, which can suck atmospheric carbon dioxide and deploy it for industrial purposes, helping to slow the rise of CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Many regard this nanotechnology as the potential ‘holy grail’ of combating climate change.
There is hope that the technology in the future could be used to take CO2 from the earth’s atmosphere and convert it into useful products such as Alcohol. Despite being very early in the progress of this potentially revolutionary product, there is a real promise that this science could be crucial to protecting the planet.
Accelerated Anaerobic digestion
Digesters have been used for years to convert biodegradable waste into biogas fuels and solids that can be used as fertilizers, but the process is incredibly slow. However, using nanotechnology, this process can be sped up rapidly.
Adding metal oxide particles to food digesters can double the amount of biogas produced, This means farms and food industries can manage biodegradable waste with more, leading to less pollution into land and water.
Electricity storage and batteries
As a cheaper method of supercapacitor storage of renewable energy, Electricity storage through everyday objects like bricks could play a major role in reducing the number of emissions we need to produce.
In this research, nanoscientists have found a way to store electricity into the house brick. This way, buildings could become powerhouses of energy, meaning that we would be able to be more efficient with our electricity and could lead the way from a transition away from CO2 emissions.
Click here to see some more impacts of nanotechnology.