Unlikely characters and companies are leading the charge in an energy sea change. The U. S. Navy, China, and even the Empire State Building (or your next-door neighbor) â€" when it comes to energy, these unlikely forces are slashing their carbon footprints and propelling the new economy. But it's happening around the world faster than in the United States. From highly efficient wind turbines to cutting-edge solar cells, the U. S. has an unprecedented track record for discovering the technologies to break our fossil fuel addiction, but rather than developing and employing them here at home, it has also developed a knack for giving them away.