Researchers hunt for energy in strange places

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Researchers hunt for energy in strange places


MIT chemist Daniel Nocera uses solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen and store them in a fuel cell where they can generate electricity at night or on cloudy days. He calls the process "artificial photosynthesis."

By Robert S. Boyd | McClatchy Newspapers


WASHINGTON — Scouring the Earth for new sources of clean, renewable energy, scientists and engineers are exploring some unusual nooks and crannies.

Kites, waves, tides, ocean currents, geysers, garbage, cow manure, old utility poles, algae and bacteria are being enlisted in the effort to lower the world's reliance on climate-warming coal and oil.

Researchers are even trying artificial photosynthesis, producing electricity by imitating the way that green plants exploit the sun's energy.

Most of these ideas may never make economic or technological sense. It's always possible, however, that a daffy-sounding scheme could turn out to be the next Google, GPS, Facebook or similar breakthrough.

Many exotic proposals would be expensive, at least at first, and of uncertain reliability. They mostly depend on government subsidies, and probably the continued high price of oil, to make them competitive with the old standbys.

Here are some of the innovative ideas that researchers — and venture capitalists hoping for profit — are working on:

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