Nanotech Carbon Capture for Fuel Production

From the point of view of reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide, the replacement of any fossil fuel power with geothermal will have a similar impact.

So, replacing a coal power station with a geothermal power station will save at least as much, if not more carbon dioxide pollution as harvesting CO2, turning it into methanol and then burning the methanol.

The wisdom of creating a stategic reserve of methanol or dimethyl ether is another issue.

The use of the term nanotechnology in this process is stetching the boundaries, IMHO.

well it is better than a hydrogen scheme

methanol is nasty stuff, which will burn colorless & melts your optic nerves [blindness]

certainly an interesting idea[s]

"..methanol is nasty stuff,"

That's what I thought. I got a little suspicious when I saw them saying that it's mainly nontoxic to humans. This sort of statement seems more 'promotional' than realistic....

Hi,

this is big nonsense.

Nature is playing the same situation since now 3 billion years. Green algae invented this method that many years ago.

So what is the news?

Converting captured carbon-dioxide to new fuel will need more energy than released by burning the fuel.

So where is the energy coming from that is needed?

This should have been published on April 1st.

RHABE

If the nanotech capture approach doesn't/can't have the efficiency to make it cost effective for fuel production, then they must be doing this for the "carbon capture" dollars. The fuel production claims then become promotional as well.

Too bad.

It is a patent application at this stage.

Assuming it is granted, then they have 20 years and they have to keep the patent paid up.

I wouldn't sink my money into it.

Lets see, we want to stockpile a whole bunch of this flammable poison with a flash point of 11 degrees C?

i'll pass:

Appearance: clear, colorless. Flash Point: 11 deg C. Poison! Cannot be made non-poisonous. Causes eye and skin irritation. May be absorbed through intact skin. This substance has caused adverse reproductive and fetal effects in animals. Danger! Flammable liquid and vapor. Harmful if inhaled. May be fatal or cause blindness if swallowed. May cause central nervous system depression. May cause digestive tract irritation with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Causes respiratory tract irritation. May cause liver, kidney and heart damage.
Target Organs: Kidneys, heart, central nervous system, liver, eyes.

The dimethylether flash point is -41 degrees C. This has to be kept under pressure, is incredibly flammable and toxic as well as possible anaesthetic. So a tinky leak can, well, you can only imagine...

No comment on the other claims. hope the geothermal woks under a large coating of volcanic ash... but then, I'm just a poor sport as my flight to Europe got cancelled this weekend due to some local icelandinc geothermal related news...

milo

milo

Not to mention that methanol in more corrosive to metal and rubber than is ethanol or ethylene glycol (with added inhibitor). Even the Navy had more sense than to store large quantities of methanol aboard submarines.