To many people, it looks like the world is in the midst of an energy transition. What is driving this transition, where are we going, and what can we do?
This energy transition is driven by three seemingly unstoppable trends:
Society's desire to prevent extreme climate change-burning fewer fossil fuels and developing more renewable energy sources.
In recent years, you may have seen news items about fuel cells and the coming “hydrogen economy” and wondered what exactly is a fuel cell? A fuel cell is a form of a reactor where we can create electricity through an electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. The only by-products of a hydrogen-fueled fuel cell are pure water (H2O) and heat.
What if hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, could power everything from automobiles and trucks to homes and office buildings with little or no toxic or greenhouse gas emissions? Welcome to the dream of the "hydrogen economy."
Does it seem like fantasy? For now, perhaps. But with many sharp minds focused on the science and some carefully directed private and public investment, this fantasy could become part of our everyday lives.
If you have the resources and are going to stay in your home for a while, you may want to invest some time and money in upgrading your home to improve its energy efficiency. Over time, investments in energy conservation return big dividends in reduced costs and improved indoor living; such changes may pay for themselves in energy savings alone.