THE LEAD ACID BATTERY - A KEY TECHNOLOGY FOR GLOBAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT/

As the nations of the world continue to develop, their industrializati on and growing populations will require increasing amounts of energy. Yet, global energy consumption, even at present levels, is already giv ing rise to concerns over both the security of future supplies and the attendant problems of environmental degradation. Thus, a major object ive for the energy industry -- in all its sectors -- is to develop pro cedures so that the burgeoning demand for energy can be tolerated with out exhaustion of the planet's resources, and without further deterior ation of the global ecosystem. A step in the right direction is to pla ce lead/acid batteries -- serviceable, efficient and clean technology -- at the cutting edge of energy strategies, regardless of the relativ ely low price of such traditional fuels as coal, mineral oil and natur al gas.