With nuclear and coal-fired power plants coming under greater scrutiny by the environmentalist movement combined with an increased demand for electricity projected to double in the next few decades, large-scale development of green technology must begin soon.

In the summer of 2008, two MIT scientists, Daniel Nocera and Matthew Kanan, announced that they have developed a key component to produce artificial photosynthesis.  The process used by plants creates energy (hydrogen), oxygen, and sugar from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.  The scientists can demonstrate that their process will now produce energy even when the sun is not shining.  Sunlight from photovoltaic systems will generate power during the day for your building as well as cause two catalysts to break water into oxygen and hydrogen.  Then, when electricity is not being provided by the solar panels, the oxygen and hydrogen will be recombined by a fuel cell.

Previous methods of water electrolysis were inefficient and not cost-effective.  Their new catalyst to separate oxygen will now operate in a clean, safe, and affordable way so that the process can be utilized on a broad basis.

Look for this exciting new technology to be introduced in the next decade.

Read more from the MIT source.