New approaches to sustainable energy production and utilization are essential to the future of society. Nanotechnology has attracted much attention recently by opening up new concepts in efficient energy harvesting, storage, and conversion. A key aspect is the use of nanomaterials to tailor materials properties and achieve multifunctional performance not possible with bulk materials. What are the new advances being enabled by nanotechnology and what are the challenges that must be overcome to integrate nanomaterials into 21st century renewable energy technologies? These are the questions to be addressed in this symposium. It combines two forefront research areas, nanotechnology and energy, in an area of high current interest and relevance to society. Advances in nanomaterials research promise major impact on multiple areas of energy applications, and these areas contain common themes based on the ability to "tune" properties at small dimension. The areas to be presented -- solar electric, solid state lighting, batteries, and thermoelectrics -- are connected in their science, and all stand at the threshold of major new progress in energy harvesting and utilization. The presentations will provide an opportunity to appreciate the interconnectedness and to see the new opportunities being discovered for nanomaterials.