Special Issue on Energy Nanotechnology

Abstract

It is with great pleasure that we present this special issue of the Journal of Heat Transfer, dedicated to Energy Nanotechnology. This focus area is the natural convergence of two subjects of tremendous and lasting importance. The ever-growing global demand for energy in both developing and industrialized nations is widely recognized as one of modern society’s greatest challenges. To have a positive worldwide impact, new energy technologies must not only have the potential to be large scale and cost effective but must also address concerns about national security and environmental issues such as global climate change. As we strive to improve all aspects of the energy cycle—from primary production and extraction to storage, transmission, utilization, and mitigation—our attention naturally turns to nanotechnology because its additional degrees of freedom offer great potential for innovative breakthroughs.