Silicon and Energy

Abstract

Since man discovered fire there has been an ongoing interest in energy. However, as a consequence of the Industrial Revolution, energy, water and food are the most valuable resources for human life and therefore energy is central for technology innovation. Since the turn of the 18th century, there remain tremendous challenges in order to provide sustainable and environmentally responsible energy and material resources for advancing and developing society as a whole. Silicon-based materials, in particular, play a vital role in enabling technologies that can offer promising solutions to achieve renewable and sustainable energy pathways for the future. Herein, we highlight selected articles that are on the forefront to addressing the limited availability, high-cost, and new potential for Si-based materials for emerging energy technologies. These articles include descriptions of the processing of silicon for solar cell applications and batteries which are based on new small molecule silicon systems.