Chemists have recently been experimenting with something called “plasmon”, which is a specific motion of electrons in metals. These electrons, or plasmon, absorb and give off light, and the energy from this light comes off as heat, which can be used to do other chemistry and create more reactions. Plasmon is not just being used to do chemistry; it is being used to do photochemistry, or chemistry with light and heat. Possible applications of this energy include being used to oxidize water, to create hydrogen, which can be used as a source of sustainable energy. Scientists say that this will be difficult, but it is an important source of energy to support the increasing world population without environmental impact.
Personally, I think that this would be a fantastic solution to our renewable energy crisis, but barriers include how affordable this would be and how much people would be willing to adopt this method. If this method does prove to pan out though, I think that the Environmental Protection Agency will probably enforce requirements for this sustainable energy to be used, which would solve those barriers.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150806144423.htm
This seems like a very good concept that these chemists are using. Renewable resources are becoming a huge topic in today's world. Do they have an estimated cost of how much all this would take, though? It seems like that would be a huge barrier.
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