A new platform for clean energy and sustainable environment in the new era of decarbonization
Qiang Liao, Kuan Sun, John Wang
Abstract
The aforementioned grand challenge can be addressed through both the substitution of fossil fuels with renewable energies, characterized by zero or near-zero carbon emissions, and by efficient carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies that could mitigate against carbon emissions in industries that will be reliant on fossil fuels for the foreseeable future. It is critical to focus not only on scientific breakthroughs and game-changing technologies with improved energy conversion, reduced overall emissions, and higher energy storage capacities, but also on the impact of these technologies on environments and societies. These efforts call for extensive and multi-disciplinary global-scale research and development (R&D) programs with sufficient resources, alongside a healthy and vibrant exchange of ideas between different disciplines and between nations.