A change of pace

[solarbird]

I post semi-regularly about peak oil issues, or, as I tend to think of it, high-density portable fuels issues. (I recommend, by the way, reading the Hirsch Report on oil production peak. It's online in various locations; since it was done for the government, it's public domain.) I don't mention very often some of the interesting technologies that may, in the medium to long term, prove very helpful.

This is an interesting possible technology addressing some of the issues issues of both CO₂ and liquid fuels. It's no panacea, and I've no idea whether it really pencils out energywise, but the much higher yield per acre than biodiesel and the complete lack of competition with agricultural uses are certainly good hurdles to have cleared.

Comments

Other fuel production

[kvogel.livejournal.com]

Have you heard about the process that converts almost any hydrocarbon waste into oil with heat+water+pressure?
Basically it breaks down large molecules into small ones then reassembles them into a light oil.
It can work on biomass (plant or animal) biowaste (a pilot plant is doing pig poo) plastic, tires, municipal garbage.
The system can bootstrap its own power, emmissions are only those materials not in the basic hydrocarbon mix (and are of a managable format) and as it processes already in the environment carbon, it doesn't add to the overall carbon load.
The oil can be used for fuel or as a hydrocarbon process feedstock instead of petrolium.

Re: Other fuel production

[epawtows.livejournal.com]

That one has been given a lot of press- it remains to be seen if it's really a tech that can 'replace' oil, or more like a tech that allows easy disposal of organic waste, and makes some oil on the side.

Re: Other fuel production

[kvogel.livejournal.com]

Replace, not yet, but as an adjunct to biofuels (and it may be more efficent at making fuel out of x-acres of some crops) it would really help. That it can process all kinds of hydrocarbons, like tires and plastic, make it even more useful.