1. ENERGY EFFICIENCY:
Edison vs. Westinghouse -- rematch of the titans
A new front in an old feud is being opened in the push for greater energy efficiency. In the late 19th century, two competing electricity systems jostled for dominance in electric power distribution in the United States and much of the industrialized world. Alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) were both used to power devices like motors and light bulbs, but they were not interchangeable. The rivalry was fraught with acrimony and publicity stunts, but AC eventually won out as the standard for transmission. Now comes the EMerge Alliance, a consortium of agencies and industry groups that thinks DC will make a comeback.
