The Aharonov-Bohm effect shows that the vacuum is structured, and that there can exist a finite vector potentialA in the vacuum when the electric field strengthE and magnetic flux densityB are zero. It is shown on this basis that gauge theory produces energy inherent in the vacuum. The latter is considered as the internal space of the gauge theory, containing a field made up of components ofA, to which a local gauge transformation is applied to produce the electromagnetic field tensor, a vacuum charge/current density, and a topological charge g. Local gauge transformation is the result of special relativity and introduces spacetime curvature, which gives rise to an electromagnetic field whose source is a vacuum charge current density made up ofA and g. The field carries energy to a device which can in principle extract energy from the vacuum. The development is given forU(1) andO(3) invariant gauge theory applied to electrodynamics.