Modern society is based on the production of energy, primarily, from fossil fuels; however, these resources are limited. Therefore we are now confronted with a difficult problem: producing energy without burning fossil fuels. Many countries have utilized nuclear power to generate electricity as an effective source of energy, such as the US, France, and Japan. However, the tragic disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power station has reminded us that nuclear power is a double-edged sword: it may be a useful energy source, but it can bare its fangs when we lose control. We have many natural energy sources that are present in unlimited quantities, and so are unlikely to be exhausted easily: namely, sunlight, water, and wind. It is thus timely to consider further developing these natural resources to replace nuclear power for the production of energy.

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Materials Today (2011) 14(10), 480-487
doi: 10.1016/S1369-7021(11)70212-7