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>potentially creating a new technology to help avert climate change >The reaction turns CO2 into ethanol, which could in turn be used to power generators and v
by VT_Drew 10y ago
>potentially creating a new technology to help avert climate change
>The reaction turns CO2 into ethanol, which could in turn be used to power generators and vehicles.
I am no scientist, my question is this: wouldn't it be a zero sum game at best? You are taking C02 out of the atmosphere, turning it into fuel, which then is used in C02 emitting engines.
- gns24 10y agoA zero sum game would be a huge improvement on the status quo.
- varg 10y agoWell a zero sum game would be pretty awesome, wouldn't it? ..Free fuel etc.
- crispyambulance 10y agoAnother article with more/better content here: https://www.ornl.gov/news/nano-spike-catalysts-convert-carbon-dioxide-directly-ethanol https://www.ornl.gov/news/nano-spike-catalysts-convert-carbo...
- lyschoening 10y agoWe can fill the Aral Sea up with vodka.
- lucozade 10y agoIf it were truly zero sum that could help solve the CO2 increase problem. But it can be better than that. If you had a zero sum technology that evened out fluctuations in other renewables then you're in the realms of CO2 reduction. You also may have the possibility of more practical sequestration than CO2 though I can think of a few pitfalls with ethanol lakes, especially around Spring Break time.
- NickM 10y agoYes it would. But if we can switch from a losing game to a zero sum game, that could still help prevent more climate change in the future. Right now, the best solution in most cases is probably renewables and batteries. But this could be a useful solution for something like air travel, where batteries are currently too big and heavy to allow for a good zero-carbon approach.
- lallysingh 10y agoYou can convert ethanol into hydrogen (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360319907002479 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360319907...), and use that as an (essentially, almost) emission-free fuel.
- 77pt77 10y ago> I am no scientist, my question is this: wouldn't it be a zero sum game at best? Worse than zero sum.
- VT_Drew 10y agothat is why I said at best
- gruturo 10y ago>I am no scientist, my question is this: wouldn't it be a zero sum game at best? You are taking CO2 out of the atmosphere, turning it into fuel, which then is used in CO2 emitting engines. Indeed, it's a losing game, not even zero sum. But it's suitable for some scenarios: absorb the renewable production peaks (broad daylight, wind blowing, massive output from solar panels and wind turbines), now you have a reserve for when production is lower than demand. Bonus, this reserve is not just a battery, you can fuel cars with it. Or fill a lake if you really have a lot. whatever.