Ramifications of the 2nd law of thermodynamics on innovation and sustainable future

The 2nd law of thermodynamics deals with the non-conserved quantities of entropy and exergy, and is associated with non-conserved entities like quality. The 2nd-law efficiency defines perfection. A process with a 2nd-law efficiency of 100% is thermodynamically perfect. As such, it involves no entropy generation, no exergy destruction and thus no waste of resources. Therefore, the 2nd law of thermodynamics is closely related to the concepts of sustainability, green practices, effectiveness, efficiency and performance. In this paper, energy conservation, renewable energy and sustainability are examined from the 2nd-law point of view. Then the 2nd-law concepts are applied to technology development and innovation activities to assess their efficiency and effectiveness and thus the best utilisation of resources.