Technology Futures

Every now and then a glimmer of a new technological advance with the potential to revolutionize our energy reality sparks. Here is such a glimmer, the early stages of a photosynthesis process that claims a small bottle of water mixed with sunlight has the capacity to power your home.

I don't take this to mean that all of our energy questions are now answered, and that we need only sit back and watch the new technology save us. I think conservation and clean production is vital in every corner where we can establish it, but it's fun to see things like this under development.

Question about turning water into hydrogen and oxygen: doesn't that reduce the total water supply? And by how much? Is that a safe thing to be embarking on given the freshwater shortages looming? Can this process use saltwater?