Michael Strizki is able to heat and cool his house year-round and use power-hungry appliances like a hot tub and wide-screen TV without paying any utility bills by utilizing a combination of solar and hydrogen power. His home in New Jersey is the first in the US to demonstrate this innovative method of generating electricity. The Hopewell Project, named after a nearby town, is addressing concerns about US energy security and the impact of burning fossil fuels on the environment. Gian-Paolo Caminiti of Renewable Energy International emphasizes the psychological benefits of taking action against climate change. Strizki operates a 3,000-square-foot house using electricity generated by a 1,000-square-foot roof covered in photovoltaic cells on a nearby building. An electrolyzer converts solar power into hydrogen from water, which is stored in tanks until needed by a fuel cell. In the summer, excess electricity is stored as hydrogen and used in the winter when solar panels can't meet demand. Strizki also uses hydrogen to power his fuel-cell car, which is environmentally friendly. Solar power currently only supplies 0.1 percent of US energy needs, but the number of photovoltaic installations is growing and the cost of making solar panels is decreasing annually. As costs decrease and the search intensifies for clean alternatives to expensive and polluting fossil fuels, some experts believe that solar energy is on the brink of experiencing significant growth in the next five to ten years. The New Jersey project, which was completed in October 2006 after four years of planning and construction, had a total cost of approximately $500,000, with $225,000 of that amount being funded by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. New Jersey, a strong advocate for renewable energy, has set a goal of having 20 percent of its energy generated from renewables by 2020 and currently has the second largest number of solar-power installations in the United States, behind only California. The state's utility regulator supported the project as it aligns with New Jersey's renewable energy objectives, according to Doyal Siddell, a spokesperson for the agency. He stated that the solar-hydrogen residence project presents a significant opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. The project received support and resources from various commercial sponsors, such as Exide, which donated batteries valued at $50,000, and Swageloc, a company from Ohio that provided stainless steel piping worth around $28,000. Strizki also contributed approximately $100,000 of his own money. While the high cost may make it inaccessible for most people to convert their homes, Strizki and his team emphasize that the project is meant to be duplicated and that the prototype's price is higher than what future imitators would pay. After covering initial research and design expenses, the estimated price would be around $100,000, according to Strizki. However, Marchant Wentworth from the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington believes that this price is still too steep for widespread replication of the project. In order for such installations to become widely used, they would need to have the ability to sell extra power to the grid, creating a revenue source that could attract investors, according to Wentworth. Making financing accessible to the general population is crucial, he added. Caminiti states that the hydrogen/solar system costs approximately $4,000 per year when the $100,000 initial cost is spread out over the expected 25-year lifespan of the equipment. This is significantly higher than the average $1,500 per year that the typical US homeowner spends on energy, as reported by the federal government. Even when factoring in the average annual gasoline costs of about $1,000 per car, the renewable energy option still proves to be more expensive than a combination of grid power and gasoline. Strizki and his colleagues view the house as more than just a financial investment. It represents energy security during a time when the government is trying to decrease reliance on fossil fuels from the Middle East, and it promotes a sustainable lifestyle by avoiding greenhouse gas emissions. Strizki, who is 51 years old, considers this project to be his life's purpose, stating, "I have devoted my life to improving the planet."