d water.
This is a far more
efficient process than burning fuel, as much less energy is wasted as heat. See
how it works here. But it's not just
useful in cars: hydrogen could also be used in power stations and electronic and portable gadgets too.
Miniature fuel cells may one day oust batteries.
The problem is that catalysts and membranes have been expensive until recently.
Other problems include making tanks of pressurised flammable hydrogen safe
enough for cars and creating an entire fuelling station infrastructure.
Combining traditional engines with fuel cells
could be step in the right direction. A new $10 million prize has
been offered to help solve these problems.
Fuel cells can also use
natural gas, methanol or coal - but these
produce carbon dioxide. Hydrogen is not yet a completely clean either, as
electricity - currently derived from fossil fuels - is needed
to"crack" water to produce the hydrogen. Some cities, such as
Reykjavik, already use hydrogen to power buses. But
Iceland gets some electricity and over 80% of its heating and hot water
from geothermal energy sources, and can produce the hydrogen
emission-free. Other countries need to find ways to produce the hydrogen sustainably.
Some argue that the
"hydrogen economy" is a distraction from
meeting future energy needs and slowing climate change, and
that we need to focus on more immediate solutions.
Making social change might be
more difficult than solving technical problems.
Solutions that could be put
in place right now include filtering carbon
dioxide out of emissions and burying it in oil seams
or under the sea. The US
is among 6 nations that have turned their back on
the Kyoto protocol to curb climate change and are focusing instead on "clean energy" from
Increasing efficiency in energy production could also
yield massive savings, as it did during the oil crises of the 1970s. Methods
vary from reducing the friction
of trains to lowering speed limits
Producing combined heat and power
with small generators at home,
makes use of a lot of the energy wasted in power
stations, and might one day feed energy back to the grid. Wind and solar power
could also be rigged up on a rooftop near you in the future - even the Queen of England is now
generating her own power from the River Thames.
9th Annual Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Expo and Forum
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
345 Cannon House Office Building (Cannon Caucus Room)
Presented by The Sustainable Energy Coalition (SEC) and the
House and Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucuses
*A full list of exhibitors is featured at the bottom of this
a.m. Official Expo Opening with Members & Invited Guests
Representative Mark Udall (D-CO),
Co-chair, House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
Representative Zach Wamp (R-TN),
Co-chair, House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
Alexander Karsner, Assistant
Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Philip W. Grone, Deputy Under
Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense
11:00 a.m. 12:30
p.m. Panel 1: "Achieving True Energy Supply Security With Sustainable
Mark Udall (D-CO), Co-chair, House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Scott Trainum, Past Chairman, Adkins
David Youlen, Vice President,
Representative from National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - TBD
Rich Halvey, Program Manager,
Western Governors' Association
1:15 2:30 p.m. Panel 2: "Improving the Economy
and Solving the Energy Crisis through Sustainable Resources"
Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Chair, House Science Committee INVITED
Jon Weisgall, Vice President,
MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company
Chris OBrien, Vice President
for Strategy & Government Relations, Sharp Solar
Kevin Rackstraw, Development
Leader, Clipper WindPower Inc.
3:30 4:15 p.m. Panel 3: "Increasing Energy
While Decreasing Greenhouse Gas Emissions -- The Unique Role of Efficient,
Chair: Phil Sharp,
President, Resources for the Future
Tom Casten, President & CEO,
Dr. Michael MacCracken
5:00 6:30 p.m. Reception Sponsored by General Electric (GE)
Closing Remar