Researchers at MIT have recently uncovered a new phenomenon in nature that could be used to help solve many of our small energy needs in the future – carbon nanotubes generating and channeling flows of energy utilizing thermal energy as a catalyst. Although it has been known for some time that nanotubes are capable of conveying energy in some form the actual energy generation process and capabilities of the tubes were left unexplored until only recently, and the results are drawing much attention in the alternative energy sector.

Utilizing a basic heat source during a series of experiments on the nanotubes researchers discovered that when heat is introduced to the center of the nanotube electrons are released from the surrounding structure and are carried along by the internal energy in a singular direction, thus creating a flow of electricity. While currently the level of energy recorded is quite low due to the level and amount of nanotubes involved in the process as well as the unrefined methods of energy generation used for studies if it were properly refined and applied commercially it is expected that it could potentially provide enough energy to power many small electronic devices so long as some sort of heat source is present (such as the sun).

This new breakthrough could potentially open up a whole new sector of renewable energy to explore and, with enough development, supplement or replace many other conventional power sources for small electrical equipment (such as replaceable batteries or small photovoltaic cells). Of course at this stage a large amount of research still needs to be done into the process of nanotube energy generation as well as what methods of capturing and utilizing the energy generated by the carbon nanotubes effectively enough for usage in our own conventional electronics, however this is a natural flow of development in all new fields and improvements can most likely be expected to be seen in the coming months and years.

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