3 ms·

> producing 1kWh worth of petrol doesn't require 1kWh of energy … so long as you don’t count the 1kWh of photosynthesis that was done by a bunch of ancient pla

> producing 1kWh worth of petrol doesn't require 1kWh of energy … so long as you don’t count the 1kWh of photosynthesis that was done by a bunch of ancient plankton to rip CO2 molecules apart and build hydrocarbons instead.

gambiting 4y ago
Well yes, of course. But it's not energy that we have to spend now, unlike with hydrogen.
- jameshart 4y ago
  Digging the oil out of the ground and burning it very much 'spends' it.
  - gambiting 4y ago
    I meant the energy that was originally used to create oil in the first place. You don't need to add any more, because oil, unlike hydrogen, already exists.
    - jameshart 4y ago
      ... for now.