On the evening of October 25th, 2017, Professor Neil Greenham gave the last lecture in Room N308A,State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices in South China University of Technology.Students majoring in Materials, graduate students in the Laboratory and teachers attended the lecture.
In the previous lecture, Professor Greenhammentioned hydrogen and oil fuels. In this class, we mainly learned biofuels. First of all, he cut into the conservation with a relatively basic knowledge of “photosynthesis”. In the process of photosynthesis, energy loss is unavoidable. By showing photosynthesis of green plants, he explained that the efficiency of photosynthesis is much lower than we thought. Due to environmental impact, sometimes the efficiency is less than 1%.
Solar panels, by contrast, could make better use of solar energy. ProfessorGreenham showed us polymer/fullerene photovoltaics cells and their applications, which aroused the interest of Materials major students. Although some details were a little hard to understand based on our current knowledge, we listened carefully and took notes intently.
The inefficiency of biofuels led to the appearance of mixed energy technologies which coulddecarbonize the energy sector at a national and global level. Professor Greenhamintroducedthe attendees an online tool called “Global Calculator”. by using it, we could calculate immediately the efficiency of decarbonization of different combinations of supply, storage and demand. Professor Greenham said that using clean energy, increasing energy efficiency and reducing pollutant emissions could reduce carbon emissions to a safe level. Everyone present used their laptops or tablets to experiment different combinations. Through our own experiments, we realized the necessity of decarbonization and had a better understanding of environment protection.
Finally, in the interaction between Professor Greenham and students, this lecture came to an end. Also, the lecture series were successfully concluded. Professor Greenham was greeted by enthusiastic applause for his wonderful lectures. Learning never stops. In the future, we may learn more about the application of materials in sustainable development, making the future more pleasant.
(Text by Yu Zhang, Photo by Li Liang)
