While writing Evolved I have had my ears wide open about novel new energy sources. After all, thrusting a good portion of mankind to far away planets (as I do in Evolved) is simply not feasible with current energy sources.
Recently an old friend mentioned his company was getting close to making water into a viable energy source. When I asked on what scale he shrugged and replied any scale and that he actually felt bad for current dependents of oil and gas. He would not disclose anymore than that since the company is currently in the development stage and working on a round of financing.
My old life as a Chartered Financial Analyst working on Wall Street roared to life and merged into my writing self. Game changing technology? I’m in! After living in San Francisco through the dotcom era, I have experience with how thrilling these paradigm shifts can be.
Now the idea of using water as an energy source isn’t new. Hydrogen has long been recognized as a viable and plentiful energy source. The problem has always been how to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in an energy-efficient manner. A quick search on the internet showed that researchers have been experimenting with bacteria and solar-thermal techniques. The U.S. Navy has also been doing its own research into the matter.
Maybe fate is guiding us, melting the oceans into a readily available supply of water to fuel our interstellar aspirations. If so, traditional oil and gas companies will have a tough go, as will oil exporting nations. But, maybe humanity will be saved, or even enabled to spout into space. Fun stuff to flip over in the mind.
Evolved 