Quirky Ways of Fueling the Future

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By Katie Paul

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Chances are you've heard of hybrids and biofuels, but what about oil-producing yeast and turbinelike buoys that transform ocean waves into electricity? Those are just a few of the alternative-energy sources that may power the future, according to Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund and coauthor, with Miriam Horn, of "Earth: The Sequel" (Norton). "Everyone knows the current story of melting glaciers, rising sea levels, worsening hurricanes, dying coral reefs," says Krupp. " 'The Sequel' is the story of what happens next. We are just on the threshold of a great race." Solar-power technology is our best bet for now, says Krupp, but quirkier projects are essential elements of a smart, diversified energy strategy. New technologies might turn wood and fiber—rather than food crops—into biofuels. Medical research on how the human brain expels carbon dioxide might lead to new ways of burning coal cleanly. One energy firm is working on a way to direct smokestack emissions through pipes into tanks for growing algae, which could in turn be made into biofuels. What's needed are caps on carbon emissions and prizes for inventors. "The possibilities are endless once we set up that level playing field."

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