Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access

Thermal Conductivity Optimization of Molten Salt Nanofluids for Concentrated Solar Power

Quynh Kim^{* *}Correspondence: Quynh Kim, Department of Physics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, Email:

Author info »

Description

Energy is the foundation of modern civilization. Every aspect of human development industry, transportation, healthcare, and communication depends on reliable and affordable energy sources. For over two centuries, fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas have powered global growth. However, this dependence has come at an enormous environmental cost. Rising greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and climate change now threaten ecosystems and human societies worldwide. In response, the world has turned its focus toward renewable energy derived from natural resources that replenish continuously and produce little to no emissions. Renewable energy is not merely an alternative to fossil fuels and it represents the future of sustainable development and the key to a cleaner, more resilient planet.

Renewable energy refers to power generated from sources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. Unlike finite fossil fuels, these resources are abundant and widely distributed across the planet. Solar energy has the potential to meet global electricity demand many times over. The challenge lies in improving storage technologies to address intermittency the variability of sunlight due to day-night cycles and weather conditions [1-3].

Wind energy converts the kinetic energy of moving air into mechanical power using wind turbines. When grouped into wind farms, these turbines can generate large amounts of electricity. Wind energy is clean, efficient, and increasingly costcompetitive with fossil fuels. Offshore wind farms constructed in oceans or seas can capture stronger and more consistent winds, further boosting output. Geothermal energy taps the Earth’s internal heat, using steam or hot water from underground reservoirs to produce electricity or provide direct heating. It offers a consistent and reliable energy supply, unaffected by weather variations.

Advances in drilling and Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are expanding access to deeper and previously unreachable heat sources. Although initial setup costs are high, geothermal energy’s long lifespan and low operating costs make it economically attractive in the long term. The rapid expansion of renewable energy is largely due to innovation. Technological advances have reduced costs, improved efficiency, and expanded the possibilities of clean power. Modern solar cells use new materials such as perovskites for greater light absorption, while advanced wind turbines now operate efficiently at lower wind speeds [4-7].

Energy storage technologies especially lithium-ion and flow batteries are revolutionizing how energy is managed. Smart grids equipped with digital sensors and artificial intelligence enable real-time monitoring and energy optimization. Additionally, hydrogen produced from renewable electricity (green hydrogen) is emerging as a potential fuel for industries and transport sectors that are difficult to electrify. These innovations show that technology and sustainability can progress together, creating the way for a resilient and flexible energy future.

As renewable technologies mature, costs will continue to fall and efficiency will improve. The world’s energy future will depend not only on innovation but also on collective willpower to prioritize sustainability over short-term profit. Renewable energy represents the cornerstone of a sustainable and equitable future. From solar and wind to geothermal and biomass, renewable sources provide clean, reliable and inexhaustible energy for generations to come [8-12].

References

1. Liu X, Chang F, Zhao Y. An ultra-thin, microwave-absorbing wear layer for pavement deicing. Materials. 2023;16(8):3080.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

2. Shi Z, Peng W, Xiang C, Li L, Xie Q. Neural network aided homogenization approach for predicting effective thermal conductivity of composite construction materials. Materials. 2023;16(9):3322.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

3. Nnamchi SN, Mundu MM. Development of solar isodose lines: Mercatorian and spatial guides for mapping solar installation areas. Heliyon. 2022;8(10):11045.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

4. Dhivagar R, Suraparaju SK, Atamurotov F, Kannan KG, Opakhai S, Omara AA. Performance analysis of snail shell biomaterials in solar still for clean water production: Nature-inspired innovation for sustainability. Water Sci Technol. 2024;89(12):3325-3343.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

5. Dongare PD, Alabastri A, Neumann O, Nordlander P, Halas NJ. Solar thermal desalination as a nonlinear optical process. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019;116(27):13182-13187.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

6. Lei L, Zhang S, Yang S, Li X, Yu Y, Wei Q, et al. Influence of hole transport material/metal contact interface on perovskite solar cells. Nanotechnology. 2018;29(25):255201.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

7. Kumar S, Bharti P, Pradhan B. Performance optimization of efficient PbS quantum dots solar cells through numerical simulation. Scientific Reports. 2023;13(1):10511.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

8. Assawaworrarit S, Yu X, Fan S. Robust. Wireless power transfer using a nonlinear parity–time-symmetric circuit. Nature. 2017;546(7658):387-390.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

9. El-Sappah AH, Seif MM, Abdel-Kader HH, Soaud SA, Elhamid MA, Abdelghaffar AM, et al. Genotoxicity and trace elements contents analysis in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) indicated the levels of aquatic contamination at three Egyptian areas. Front Vet Sci. 2022;9:818866.

   [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

10. Younis OS, Oraiath AA, Metwally KA, Dessoky ES, Mahmoud SF, Rashed MN, et al. Drying characteristics, environmental and economic analysis of a solar dryer with evacuated tube solar collector for drying Nile Tilapia slices. Sci Rep. 2025;15(1):9822.

    [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

11. Elwakeel AE, Oraiath AA, Gameh MA, Eissa AS, Mahmoud SF, Eid MH, et al. Quality evaluation of dried tomato fruit and optimization of drying conditions using a modified solar dryer integrated with an automatic solar collector tracker. Scientific Reports. 5;15(1):7659.

    [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]

12. Ghanem TH, Nsasrat LS, Younis OS, Metwally KA, Salem A, Orban Z, et al. Thin-layer modeling, drying parameters, and techno-enviro-economic analysis of a solar dried salted tilapia fish fillets. Scientific Reports. 11;15(1):5073.

    [Crossref] [Google Scholar] [PubMed]