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> Or try to find a better Fisher-Tropsch process One major use of the Fischer-Tropsch process is converting coal (via gasification) into hydrocarbons and event
by letstryagain 13y ago
> Or try to find a better Fisher-Tropsch process
One major use of the Fischer-Tropsch process is converting coal (via gasification) into hydrocarbons and eventually fuel/petrol. This is a disaster for global warming because we have very large amounts of easily accessible coal available to turn into petrol. If you make FT easier you'll do more harm than good.
- waps 13y agoFT would also enable CO2 + H2O => Fuel. That would be the perfect solution to global warming. Instead of getting fuel in Saudi Arabia, a tanker just goes out to sea, and with solar power and ocean top layer co2 just slowly fills itself with fuel.
- letstryagain 13y agoCurrently FT is only used (see SASOL for example) with coal. Why? Because it's more profitable than CO2 to fuel. Making FT cheaper won't change that. It will just mean more companies will turn coal into fuel. Yes you CAN use CO2 but in practice every for-profit company out there will choose coal instead and maximise their $$$.
- waps 13y agoGiven the current energy situation, I'm of the opinion that attempting to prevent most coal from being used for energy is a fight that cannot be won. We are on the terminal decline of the oil production, since 2005, and it's about to drop off a cliff (for most of the world, prices will rise by the end of this year or so, for the US, end of 2015, maybe mid 2016 if we're lucky). What do you expect to happen ? That people are just going to abandon places where you really need heating ?
- letstryagain 13y agoI agree, coal will be used for heating and electricity and we can't stop that. But if you improve FT we'll also use coal for our cars which just makes things worse!