Scientists Use Sunlight to Make Fuel From CO2

[drm604]

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/01/S2P

Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico have found a way of using sunlight to recycle carbon dioxide and produce fuels like methanol or gasoline.

The Sunlight to Petrol, or S2P, project essentially reverses the combustion process, recovering the building blocks of hydrocarbons. They can then be used to synthesize liquid fuels like methanol or gasoline. Researchers said the technology already works and could help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, although large-scale implementation could be a decade or more away.

"This is about closing the cycle," said Ellen Stechel, manager of Sandia's Fuels and Energy Transitions department. "Right now our fossil fuels are emitting CO2. This would help us manage and reduce our emissions and put us on the path to a carbon-neutral energy system."

<snip>

The Sandia team envisions a day when CR5s are installed in large numbers at coal-fired power plants. Each of them could reclaim 45 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air daily and produce enough carbon monoxide to make 2.5 gallons of fuel. Coupling the CR5 with CO2 reclamation and sequestration technology, which several scientists already are pursuing, could make liquid hydrocarbons a renewable fuel, Stechel said.

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/01/S2P

[tom_paine]

1. This has potential.

[drm604]

2. Yes, it does.

If the EROEI (Energy Returned on Energy Invested) is high enough (which appears to be the case) then it has huge potential.

Here's a similar idea: http://www.lare.us

[tinrobot]

3. If they could pull the CO2 from the atmosphere...

...rather than from a coal plant, it would make much more sense.

In this scenario, you burn coal, then capture the CO2 only to burn it again as liquid fuel, which still releases the carbon into the atmosphere. You still have a net carbon gain.

[drm604]

4. That is their ultimate goal.

http://www.sandia.gov/news/resources/releases/2007/sunshine.html

Miller says that while the first step would be to capture the carbon dioxide from sources where it is concentrated — e.g., power plants, smokestacks, and breweries — the ultimate goal would be to snatch it out of the air. A S2P system that includes atmospheric carbon dioxide capture could produce carbon-neutral liquid fuels.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. Good on that note, sounds promising, now how much will they

set aside to study the feasability of putting them on cows, both on the front and the back??

[Zachstar]

6. Good idea if it can be worked in a different way.

45 pounds a day per serious source is not very good unless these are extremely cheap and can be clustered without losing effect.

A better solution in my view is to have a dedicated fusion plant connected to a tower that literally pulls in air from around it and converts any greenhouse gas (Or anything useful if it can be actively separate) into usable product or liquid/solid waste.

The difference between this and an atmospheric distillery is that this is 100 percent active through the used of charged filters that are designed through the years. The output ought to be clean air.

I'm thinking in the TPD range (Ton per day) not pound per day. THAT is how we stop and reverse gas based climate change.

[drm604]

7. I think they're talking about multiple units.

I think the 45 lbs a day was for one unit and that the intent is to use large numbers of units. I can't imagine that there would be any serious discussion if it was limited to 45 lbs total.

[Zachstar]

8. Very well I stand corrected on that.

However with the economy the way it is will mean that it will come down to price in the end.

I hope they make it.