Deeper

April 16, 2009

It is very easy to look at what exists today and what is in the planning stages and extrapolate forward into the future how these things, technology, software, ideas will evolve. From there come the implications on people personal lives, their business lives, and in the arena of politics. These three things connect in different ways. Just as it's important today in the connected world, and even many of the offline parts, energy is an important factor. How the energy is obtained to power the future devices and infrastructure isn't necessarily important. It can be though if consideration is required into fields such as forensics, and the reverse, in doing harm to people. Writing anything from horror to thriller to mystery to even crime drama requires thinking about these things. Those factors deal with specifics and need targeted research. Picking up details here and there along the way never hurts on the other hand.

The article pointing to this deeper look is about cheap hydrogen. California was building hydrogen-refuelling stations for the current and coming generations of hydrogen powered cars. This green technology is of course good for the environment, but doesn't offer a lot idea-wise for fiction. The ability to make the hydrogen for the stations is more interesting, as is the effects of fuelling cars with hydrogen and on the darker side dealing with accidents--or not so accidental events. Moving from gasoline to hydrogen has some political and business effects that can be foreseen, and others that may be speculated. Once the change over is done and whatever fallout is in the past then there are other things to be considered. While the material may change, the dynamics of the industry might remain essentially the same with the old regime stepping into the new bailiwick or the new players adopting old habits.

As mentioned in the TechStop™ notes cheap accessible hydrogen could make solar power much more viable, switching between the two as necessary. There are theories being tested about storing solar power for use when the output of the collectors is low or none, but they may not reach fruition, or hydrogen will simply fill in until they are ready. It's at this level where larger and more widespread or more inclusive importances are that the real far reaching effects of advancements in power generation happen.

TS-Ref#3