Congressman Zach Wamp, (R) 3rd District: "This unit, in a home or in a commercial operation, will not only make electricity, it makes hydrogen for your vehicle, so it solves both problems at the same time, being demonstrated in the Tennessee Valley."

It's just one of two fuel cells in the country producing both hydrogen and electricity, and it's located in UTC's SimCenter. The other one is found in Silicon Valley. This box runs on natural gas for now, then eventually bio-fuels like ethanol. And that means cleaner air.

Dr. K.R. Sridhar, Ion America: "We put very little of sulfur oxide and other oxides which are not good for the environment almost no particulates into the air. Once we start using renewable fuels, we get to zero emissions with this technology."

You won't find one of these in your local hardware store for quite some time, but the federal government is pushing fuel-cell research, and funding this project at UTC. If it takes off, it could change the face of Chattanooga's economy.

Congressman Wamp:  "In Chattanooga where we're actually able to demonstrate what could be manufactured here. Like we used to make brake shoes and different things here. Now we can make these systems and export them to the whole world."

Wamp says the goal here is to change the US from a foreign oil-dependent country, to one exporting alternative energy to the world.

The SimCenter's fuel cell already produces electricity that goes straight into the power grid, and could be providing power to your home.