Bacteria converts carbon dioxide into liquid fuel

[JZK721]

Bacteria converts carbon dioxide into liquid fuel | ExtremeTech

A team at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have genetically engineered a microorganism that converts carbon dioxide into isobutanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol, both of which could be used as a fuel source for cars, or other combustion engines.

:music07:

 

[wayn3]

inb4 government/fuel nazis deny public access

 

[geomark]

Now all you need is a cheap source of hydrogen and energy to drive the reaction...oh, wait.

 

[tavin]

it's coming.. the end of oil.

It'll all be accelerated by the fact countries are now purchasing oil in currency that's not the world reserve(USD).

The U.S. Government wants this now

 

[jacky8]

Will the collapse of oil be the reason for WW3?

 

[lukep]

Not Impressed.

It takes electricity to make liquid fuel that you still have to burn, releasing CO2... Sure it puts big oil out of the picture but it will start up a new, similar industry for those Bacteria cultures meanwhile not solving the pollution and Greenhouse gas issues.

Meanwhile, we don't want to go through the trouble of converting electricity into fuel! -We just want to use electricity in electric cars... Do they think they're fooling someone by suggesting that you'd get more electricity out of the end process this way?

 

[mattseh]

Not Impressed.

It takes electricity to make liquid fuel that you still have to burn, releasing CO2... Sure it puts big oil out of the picture but it will start up a new, similar industry for those Bacteria cultures meanwhile not solving the pollution and Greenhouse gas issues.

Meanwhile, we don't want to go through the trouble of converting electricity into fuel! -We just want to use electricity in electric cars... Do they think they're fooling someone by suggesting that you'd get more electricity out of the end process this way?

It's a cycle, use up CO2 in the making of hydrocarbons, release it when burning it, it's a good system, nature has been doing it for a few years.

I doubt they are claiming that more energy can be created through this process, the advantage is that liquid fuels already have a huge existing infrastructure and a high energy density.

 

[mattseh]

Now all you need is a cheap source of hydrogen and energy to drive the reaction...oh, wait.

They are probably aiming to get the hydrogen from water and the article mentions that the energy will be from solar.

 

[mattseh]

It's unlikely that there will be a sudden cessation in the use of oil, supply and demand will ensure that more and more alternative products replace more and more oil for its various uses, for example plants being used to make some plastics at first, then eventually most plastics.

 

[lukep]

I doubt they are claiming that more energy can be created through this process, the advantage is that liquid fuels already have a huge existing infrastructure and a high energy density.

If you can't stick this isobutanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol stuff in existing gas tanks then there is no infrastructure bonus over electric cars.

You still have to buy a whole new car.

 

[mattseh]

If you can't stick this isobutanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol stuff in existing gas tanks then there is no infrastructure bonus over electric cars.

You still have to buy a whole new car.

It's not just cars that make up the infrastructure, it's piplines, tankers, fuel stations etc. With electric cars, you need to replace everything.

It seems that isobutanol can be used as up to 30% of a car's fuel, potentially more:

Gevo

 

[lukep]

It's not just cars that make up the infrastructure, it's piplines, tankers, fuel stations etc. With electric cars, you need to replace everything.

Retiring != Replacing.

Electric cars won't need all that shit, just a home charger basically, so clearly their infrastructure is far easier to 'replace.'

 

[mattseh]

Retiring != Replacing.

Electric cars won't need all that shit, just a home charger basically, so clearly their infrastructure is far easier to 'replace.'

Some people like leaving the range that only home charging would impose.

 

[lukep]

Some people like leaving the range that only home charging would impose.

Some people can imagine bigger batteries, too. :thumbsup:

 

[schockergd]

If you can't stick this isobutanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol stuff in existing gas tanks then there is no infrastructure bonus over electric cars.

You still have to buy a whole new car.

Isobutanol will run just fine in a standard post 2000 gasoline powered car with EFI and exhaust monitoring.

 

[schockergd]

Some people can imagine bigger batteries, too. :thumbsup:

Still looking at a 2,000lb battery for a quality amount of range using typical industry standards.

What's MUCH More useful are small cars with 40mi range used for city only driving. Many people are doing it in my small town of 10,000 already.

 

[geomark]

They are probably aiming to get the hydrogen from water and the article mentions that the energy will be from solar.

Then that makes it all ok since solar is so cost effective...oh, wait.

 

[ThisWebThing]

Oil is king. the usd is still king.. even with all the printing... how long it will last.. who knows...

America has more energy resources then any other nation on earth.. you just have to tap it...bottom line the us population gets to say yes or no to getting that energy.

 

[onigen]

not going to matter

 

[mattseh]

Then that makes it all ok since solar is so cost effective...oh, wait.

Give it (not much) time - Smaller, cheaper, faster: Does Moore’s law apply to solar cells? | Guest Blog, Scientific American Blog Network