Former astronaut and scientist Brian O'Leary(1), founder of the New Energy Movement(2), discussed the research and development going into solving the global energy crisis, and reasons we need to move immediately towards "new energy."
According to O'Leary, the world's oil fields are at maximum production levels and can barely keep up with demand. He predicts "in another 40 or 50 years there won't be any oil left." O'Leary suggested an active suppression by the "Powers That Be" has kept the world's economy tied to fossil fuels, despite the fact that many possibilities exist for alternative energy sources.
O'Leary believes the future of energy rests on several new technologies, including zero point devices, advanced hydrogen chemistry, and cold fusion. He said low energy nuclear reactions (cold fusion) make it theoretically possible to drive a car across the United States on a liter of water. Perhaps even more promising is zero point energy, which involves tapping into the seemingly limitless energy in the vacuum of space. O'Leary envisions a day when people are disconnected from a centralized power grid and instead receive their energy from inexpensive handheld devices.
Visit newenergymovement.org(3) for information on the upcoming Conference on New-Energy Alternatives in Portland, Oregon on September 25-26, 2004, or call toll free (866) 585-2344.

1. http://home.independence.net/oleary/index.html
2. http://www.newenergymovement.org/
3. http://www.newenergymovement.org/

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Fuel cells are essentially inexhaustible batteries -- as long as they're supplied with fuel, they don't lose charge. Within a fuel cell a simple electrochemical process takes place that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, with heat and water as the only emissions.
Every fuel cell consists of an electrolyte membrane sandwiched between two electrodes: a positive electrode called an anode and a negative electrode called a cathode. Hydrogen (or hydrogen-rich fuel) is passed over the anode where a catalyst splits it into ions and electrons. The electrons cannot pass through the electrolyte material and instead travel around it via an electrical circuit to reach the other side of the cell. This flow of electrons is electricity.
The following U.S. Department of Energy animation illustrates how a fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity.
*This animation requires Macromedia Flash Player(1) to be installed on your computer.

1. http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash

Bumper Music

Bumper music from Tuesday August 31, 2004