• Question: If you had to chose out off all the materials you are trying to develop which one would have the biggest impact on the environment? and why?

    Asked by anon-276203 to Michael on 13 Jan 2021.
    • Photo: Michael Nolan

      Michael Nolan answered on 13 Jan 2021:

      Hi Ella, great question!
      I would say that finding a material which allows us to make hydrogen from water would have the greatest impact. This is because
      (1) we can use hydrogen to replace fossil fuels such as gas or petrol/diesel and the only emission from hydrogen is water
      (2) we can use waste water and (sun)light to produce the hydrogen so no need to use scarce fresh water
      (3) we can strongly reduce CO2 and methane emissions
      (4) no need for large, ugly, environmentally unfriendly refineries and fossil-fuel plants.

      We still do not have that magic material, but we know the impacts of finding this material, so it is well worth the effort

Comments

  • Photo: Polly

    Polly commented on :

    Good question, and great answer Michael!
    I would add that the material would also ideally be made in a way that caused no harm to the environment – maybe it could be a plant which we grow…?!

    • Photo: Michael

      Michael commented on :

      Polly is 100% correct here – these materials should be non-toxic, easily accessed (less mining), stable, not cost too much and not harm the environment. Those demands are quite tricky to meet and rule out lots of useful materials so its a big challenge!

  • Photo: Tony

    Tony commented on :

    I don’t work on manufacturing materials, so can’t answer directly, but I’d have to say that the thing that all of us do (and that every single person can get involved in) that will have the biggest impact on the environment is education – making sure people know what is happening to the environment, ad how we can all play our part in trying to minimise how we’re changing it.