Powering the Future

Our host, M. Sanjayan, explores the beginnings of a shift in energy use that will change the world. Whether for national security, the economy, or the health of our planet, there are as many drivers for change as there are technologies vying for a top spot. The hope is for a silver bullet to solve the problem all at once; the reality is that mankind is looking at the next industrial revolution, requiring the greatest minds and all the creativity we can harness. The episode looks at cutting edge technologies that could allow us to break our dependence on fossil fuels.

Starting from an offshore oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, Sanjayan looks at how the abundance of the planet's energy fuels every aspect of life on Earth. From wind, water, the sun, volcanoes and hurricanes, to the smallest cells to the tallest trees, Earth has the natural energy to power the planet but mankind is not using it. What can humans learn from the creation of the natural world that will help create energy?

We are bombarded daily with conflicting messages about energy from sources with vastly different agendas and motives. This episode filters out politics and special interests by looking at numbers: How many people will be on the planet by 2050 and how much energy will we need? What happens if we grow and consume at our current rate? It's common knowledge that we use enormous amounts of energy, but until it's quantified, it’s impossible to grasp the true extent of how much is wasted.

Unlikely characters and companies are leading the charge in an energy sea change. The U.S. Navy, China, and even the Empire State Building (or your next-door neighbor) – when it comes to energy, these unlikely forces are slashing their carbon footprints and propelling the new economy. But it's happening around the world faster than in the United States. From highly efficient wind turbines to cutting-edge solar cells, the U.S. has an unprecedented track record for discovering the technologies to break our fossil fuel addiction, but rather than developing and employing them here at home, it has also developed a knack for giving them away.