Nanotechnology, climate and energy: over-heated promises and hot air?

The report by Friends of the Earth examines nanotechnology's role in the energy transition, specifically in solar, wind, hydrogen, and battery technologies. It argues that the industry has "over-promised and under-delivered," noting that the energy required to manufacture nanomaterials often exceeds the savings they provide. The document highlights significant health risks, such as the potential for carbon nanotubes to cause mesothelioma, and environmental hazards, including the release of potent greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide from nano silver. It further criticizes the use of public funds to develop nanotechnology for expanded oil and gas extraction and warns that the technology may exacerbate global inequities through restrictive patenting and the dumping of nanowaste in the Global South.

• The nanotechnology industry has failed to meet its environmental performance claims, with many touted breakthroughs not matching reality and the actual energy and environmental costs of the industry being higher than expected.
• Manufacturing nanomaterials is extremely energy-intensive; for instance, producing carbon nanofibers requires 13 to 50 times the energy of smelting aluminium and 95 to 360 times the energy of making steel on an equal mass basis.
• Single walled carbon nanotubes are identified as potentially being among the most energy-intensive materials known, with an estimated embodied energy of 0.1 to 1 terajoule per kilogram, equivalent to approximately 167 barrels of oil.
• Nano-based solar panels generally exhibit lower conversion efficiency than traditional silicon panels, with nano-based cells averaging around 10 percent compared to over 20 percent for silicon cells.
• Governments in the US, Australia, UK, Mexico, Japan, and Saudi Arabia are using public funds to develop nanotechnology specifically to increase the discovery and extraction of oil and gas.
• Certain nanomaterials pose severe health risks; specifically, some forms of carbon nanotubes have been shown to cause mesothelioma, a cancer associated with asbestos exposure.
• The use of antibacterial nano silver in consumer products may increase the release of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, when exposed to sludge in waste water treatment plants.
• Hydrogen-powered cars currently rely on fossil fuels for hydrogen production, and the report deems it improbable that renewable-energy-generated hydrogen cars will be widespread in the next 10 to 20 years.
• Most commercial nanoproducts, such as cosmetics and personal care items, are not designed for energy savings and therefore result in a net energy cost due to their intensive manufacturing processes.
• Nanomanufacturing is characterized by high water and solvent use and significant waste; for some electronic goods, 99.9 percent of the materials used in manufacturing become waste products.
• There is a significant regulatory gap globally, as many countries do not require new safety testing or labeling for nanoparticles even if the bulk version of the substance is approved.
• Nanotechnology may widen global inequities as Northern countries dominate patents and intellectual property, potentially restricting access to climate solutions for the Global South.

APA

Illuminato, I., & Miller, G. (2010). Nanotechnology, climate and energy: over-heated promises and hot air? Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/nano_climate_energy_nov2010.pdf

Chicago

Illuminato, Ian, and Georgia Miller. Nanotechnology, climate and energy: over-heated promises and hot air? Friends of the Earth International, 2010. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/nano_climate_energy_nov2010.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Illuminato |first1=Ian |last2=Miller |first2=Georgia |title=Nanotechnology, climate and energy: over-heated promises and hot air? |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=November 2010 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/nano_climate_energy_nov2010.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{illuminato2010nanotechnology, author = {Illuminato, Ian and Miller, Georgia}, title = {{Nanotechnology, climate and energy: over-heated promises and hot air?}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2010}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/nano_climate_energy_nov2010.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }