This creates hydrogen and oxygen.
The environmentalists can imagine fields of solar cells in deserts, creating hydrogen for fleets of fuel cell vehicles.
At 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit (1,200 degrees Celsius), the zirconium casings of the fuel rods can react with the cooling water and create hydrogen.
In a statement, Dr. Venter said the hope was that "we could potentially engineer an organism with the ideal qualities to begin to cope with our energy issues," perhaps one that could create hydrogen or absorb carbon dioxide.
But a host of other technologies, from existing schemes like splitting water to create hydrogen, compressing air in underground caverns, flywheels and heated gravel pits, to longer term bets like supercapacitors and superconducting magnets, are also jostling for position.
Union Fenosa, the developer of the Crookwell Wind Farm, will look at how to use hydrogen as a substitute for natural gas in gas-fired generators, either alone or in combination with natural gas; while Neoen will build Australia's first commercial electrolyser to create hydrogen for vehicles and other uses.
Re "In Hot Pursuit of Fusion (or Folly)" (May 26): It's worth at least a brief mention that if the National Ignition Facility succeeds in creating hydrogen fusion, this won't be the first instance of "bringing star power to earth" or of creating "a miniature star".
For instance, when particles from uranium bump into water, they can create hydrogen gas, hydrogen peroxide, and oxygen.
Splitting water by electrochemical reactions is considered to be the most promising strategy to create hydrogen.
