In the 1874 novel The Mysterious Island, the lost-at-sea protagonist, Cyrus Smith, confidently predicts to his shipmates that water is the coal of the future and will be used to power everything. The idea of something as simple and mundane as water becoming a reliable energy source has been conceptualized for many years. Up until now, it was seen as a possibility in the distant future. That was until engineer Ronny Bar-Gadda had an idea.
Bar-Gadda, the president and CEO of Genesys LLC, has produced a breakthrough technology that allows the efficient and economical production of hydrogen from any water source. This means that hydrogen extracted from water can be converted into fuel-grade hydrogen. The technology, called RET, or radiant energy transfer, relies on the unique properties of the oxygen-hydrogen (OH) bond. By using electromagnetic radiation tuned to the OH bond energy, it is possible to break the bond with a minimum amount of energy. RET, a continuous process technology that operates at room temperature, is modular, easily scalable and carbon neutral. As a consequence of this revolutionary approach, RET modules can be added or subtracted very quickly to respond to changes in hydrogen demand.
“What thrills me about this is that we have the potential to eliminate global warming,” Bar-Gadda remarked. He hopes that through producing hydrogen economically, this unique technology will eventually eliminate the need for fossil fuels. Bar-Gadda also hopes that his company, Genesys, will be a supplier of radiant energy. He realizes, though, that breakthrough technologies can take a long time to become widely adopted. “I suspect it will take 10-12 years from now,” he added. “I know it won’t happen overnight.”
Bar-Gadda said the journey that led him to this point certainly didn’t happen overnight. “The unique blend of experiences working with energy at Exxon and high-tech labs for Phillips Research gave me what I needed to get here today,” he explained.
A graduate of Cooper Union and the University of Pennsylvania, Bar-Gadda noted that the inspiration behind RET was to make a better tomorrow. Fortunately, many others share that same goal, with RET leading the way. During a live demonstration of RET, Darren Cordova, the mayor of Taos, N.M., said, “I foresee great success in the future of your technology. I also predict that it will reduce global warming, generate new jobs and increase our energy security.” As the event drew to an end, Cordova closed by saying, “We look forward to making the town of Taos and the state of New Mexico the first to benefit from your revolutionary invention.”
RET technology is also on the radar of the California Energy Commission. B.B. Blevins, former executive director of the commission and a member of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first Climate Action Team, stated, “Geothermal energy and heat from abandoned oil wells represent a substantial resource that the RET technology can tap to produce commercial quantities of hydrogen. This can have a major impact on California’s clean energy needs for the future.”
Bar-Gadda exudes not just vision but passion for a greener, more sustainable future. “In an age of global warming and peak oil consumption, it is important to find a renewable resource that is plentiful and economical without damaging the environment. Water fits that criterion. Water, like oil and coal, needs to be refined in order to convert it to a useful energy source. RET has established that,” he asserted.
