In order for the energy requirements of the future to be met, an unprecedented development of new energy harvesting technologies to replace simple exothermic oxidation is absolutely essential. An imminent large-scale development and implementation of new energy harvesting technologies is vital for a number of reasons. Foremost amongst them are the facts that the burning of fossil fuels (natural gas, coal and oil), the most common way in which exothermic oxidation is used as an energy source, contributes heavily to air pollution and degrades the environment, mainly through contributing to global warming, and causing acid rain. Additionally, fossil fuels are a finite source of energy, with current reserves are expected to last 40-70 years.

Fossil fuel combustion is estimated to contribute to over ninety percent of the world's gross greenhouse gas, gaseous components of the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect', emissions. Largely due to these greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures are projected to rise by an average of about three degrees Celsius by 2100. Such a temperature increase would be likely to result in rising sea levels, and subsequent recurrent flooding, mass extinction, with many animals unable to adapt to suit the warm conditions quickly enough, the spread of mosquito-transmitted diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever, since mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, the increased occurrence of devastating storms, as warm oceans are a critical ingredient in hurricane formation, and more. Clearly, it behooves society to reduce the utilisation of the exothermic oxidation of fossil fuels as a means of generating electricity, and through that, reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Another environmental problem caused by the combustion of fossil fuels is acid rain. The burning of fossil fuels emits sulpher dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which then combine with atmospheric moisture, forming pollutants such as sulphuric acid, ammonium nitrate and nitric acid. Acid rain causes many problems, among which are the facts that it acidifies lakes, preventing them from supporting the same variety of life as healthy lakes, harms vegetation by reducing its vitality and capacity for regeneration and causing soil to lose nutrients, and erodes marble statues.

Yet another reason as to why it is the development of new energy harvesting technologies is essential is that fossil fuels are not a renewable source of energy, with current reserves

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