Appliances self powered by year 2020.

Currently and to year 2010 the world as with Australia has significant impetus to make its electricitysupply systems far more efficient in the interim, before the expenditure of billions of dollars on infrastructure takes place.To do this governments will focus on grid system improvements to improve efficiency. The way we use electrical power is indeed the key in this direction. This is consistent with renewable energy creating electricity as an energy carrier as well. Many appliances use DC current which requires a transformer within the appliance. Lap-top / stationary computers to printers, radios,TVs, and so on, convert AC current to DC current. Solar energy as an example of a renewable energy source generating electricity as an energy carrier, produces DC electricity. An inverter is required to convert such renewable electricity to AC power for the household to use. The above appliances then convert the AC back to DC current before the appliances can use the electricity. As you can see much power is wasted in the transformations. If one could go DC Renewable electricity straight to DC appliances in the house, much power loss would be saved. In fact if this was added up, I am sure it would become a large figure.

So really if power supply were more "appliance friendly" much would be saved. Indeed that I believe will happen, as a logical extension to the above trends, and compounded by the trend forecasted for fuel cell price drops, appliance manufacturers may find themselves "implanting " the fuel cell power unit inside the appliance at the point of manufacture. Appliances being self powered, particularly air conditioners which are "Public Enemy Number One", would free up the power required to be supplied to the household and industry dramatically. The appliances could go anywhere with the consumer.

Refrigerators powered initially for a year by the "canister system", would be powered for the life of the product after several further years of development.Governments would not get as many "ulcers" trying to control public electricity consumption, as the main cause of consumer electricity demand increases, are the new "toys" they are buying. Electricity grid demand thus by households as predicted for years 2015 to 2020 and beyond, may in fact be markedly less, saving governments a fortune. Solar energy developments are now prolific in the world and prices will be competitive with grid supplied electricity by year 2010.By year 2015 solar electricity will easily facilitate the balance of power that the average household requires, after most appliances are self powered. Lighting by example and certain power outlets may still be desirable within the household, and solar energy as a source can be applied to electrolysis hydrogen for refilling the canisters for all the appliances. Low pressure storage of hydrogen will be well conquered by year 2015.Storage mechanisms will hold very large volumes of hydrogen, giving the fuel cell powered appliances months to years between canister changes.

Robots as with the current Honda produced robot, will be fuel cell powered and in fact may go for a week or two(2) before canister change is required. Most mundane work in the household will be done by such robots, as they will have the power to go for weeks and do valuable work. Many members of society will be greatly assisted by such robots.