ESD Search Seminar

Investigating the Limits of Zero Carbon Energy Conversion

By Jessika Trancik

Abstract:
In order to stabilize carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere below a target level of ~500 parts per million, our energy supply infrastructure will need to reach near-zero carbon emissions intensities in the second half of this century. I will present research which aims to determine which technologies and engineering design characteristics are likely to allow us to reach these carbon emissions targets at a reasonable cost. Several energy technology options that promise the lowest carbon emissions intensities, such as photovoltaic cells, fuel cells and batteries, could benefit from nanostructuring which shifts trade-offs between desirable materials properties and costs. I will discuss an example of this by reporting on the development of carbon nanotube films applied to the dye-sensitized solar cell, where the properties of transparency, conductivity and catalytic activity have been partially decoupled. The presentation will then turn to research on decomposing various other energy technologies into components to study physical limits and the role of engineering design characteristics, such as unit scale and modularity, in facilitating rapid innovation and a transition to low costs and carbon intensities.