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You can do solar -> hydrolysis -> hydrogen -> ammonia-> fertilizer, rather than methane -> steam reforming -> hydrogen -> ammonia -> fertilizer. So it's techni
by ZeroGravitas 7mo ago
You can do solar -> hydrolysis -> hydrogen -> ammonia-> fertilizer, rather than methane -> steam reforming -> hydrogen -> ammonia -> fertilizer.
So it's technically feasible. Not quite there in terms of cost and scale but if the alternative is a blockade then probably worth investing in.
Ironically some of the best locations for production are in the middle east.
- Gibbon1 7mo agoYou can run the numbers the cost isn't that bad to do it that way. I think South Africa gets most of its diesel from the Fischer–Tropsch process. You could use electrolytic hydrogen as an input for that. About 40% of the energy in gasoline is from hydrogen burning. It's not great but it would allow you to run current vehicles off about 40% solar energy.
- dzhiurgis 7mo agoBest part you can probably miniaturize entire process into panel itself and 5 panels per hectare would be enough...
- euroderf 7mo agoI'd like to see a turnkey synfuels plant for home/business use. Making methane or (better?) hydrocarbons. "Just add solar panels." Anyone got a WAG about how much it would cost.
- fc417fc802 7mo agoSome university in the US midwest demoed a prototype of this several years ago using wind power. Sorry no link to hand.