An answer to imported oil may be at hand

[Moonbeam]

CO2 and sunlight and highly engineered organisms producing fuel as a byproduct with little need for water. Joule Biotechnologies has announced a breakthrough.

 

[alien42]

you need to fix your topic summary. their website says "less than $50 per barrel", not gallon.

 

[PJABBER]

Interesting, but even if the bio-engineering works, buildout and scalability are going to be everything. Looks like intense land use is going to be a constraint even if they can set up on non-arable plots. I'll bet this one will get government investment.

 

[JSt0rm]

How does this fit into our economy of scarcity? If we can't have a industrial military complex built around the desire and need for energy then what will we do with our time?

 

[miniMUNCH]

So thing to do with this in the short term is put this on the tail end of coal and gas burning power plants.... then use the CO2 has feed stock for these biofuel plants.

Be great if this technology works out.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH
So thing to do with this in the short term is put this on the tail end of coal and gas burning power plants.... then use the CO2 has feed stock for these biofuel plants.

Be great if this technology works out.

And why not the biofuel for the coal and gas.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: alien42
you need to fix your topic summary. their website says "less than $50 per barrel", not gallon.

Thanks, did that in my sleep I think.

 

[miniMUNCH]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH
So thing to do with this in the short term is put this on the tail end of coal and gas burning power plants.... then use the CO2 has feed stock for these biofuel plants.

Be great if this technology works out.

And why not the biofuel for the coal and gas.

If i understand your question aright... you are asking why not get rid of coal and gas in favor of biofuel?

That would be great but from what it looks like... this biofuel process needs a concentrated stream of CO2 as a process feed. So aside from fossil fuel sources we'd have to burn plant matter, I'm thinking, to produce a concentrated CO2 stream.

Realistically, coal and gas are gonna be around for a while as part of our electrical power production 'landscape'... lets use the CO2 instead venting it into the atmosphere.

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01
How does this fit into our economy of scarcity? If we can't have a industrial military complex built around the desire and need for energy then what will we do with our time?

Paint?

 

[jones377]

So by my calculation you would need to dedicate about 0.4% of all your land to produce the fuel needed to become oil independent. Based on 20.000 gallons/acre/year production and 20.000.000 bbl/day petrol consumption (2006, 60% of which is from imported oil). It actually sounds doable but it wouldn't surprise me if I missed a decimal somewhere....

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH
So thing to do with this in the short term is put this on the tail end of coal and gas burning power plants.... then use the CO2 has feed stock for these biofuel plants.

Be great if this technology works out.

And why not the biofuel for the coal and gas.

If i understand your question aright... you are asking why not get rid of coal and gas in favor of biofuel?

That would be great but from what it looks like... this biofuel process needs a concentrated stream of CO2 as a process feed. So aside from fossil fuel sources we'd have to burn plant matter, I'm thinking, to produce a concentrated CO2 stream.

Realistically, coal and gas are gonna be around for a while as part of our electrical power production 'landscape'... lets use the CO2 instead venting it into the atmosphere.

You are right. I did not see first time reading that a concentrated source of CO2 is to be used. That, to my mind might put a serious wrinkle in the viability of this process on a very large scale. What I meant, however, is that the fuel can be burned just like coal or gas to make power. It is a form of solar energy that can make fuel in the day 100 times more efficiently that battery storage, which can be burned at night to make electricity conventionally and the CO2 from burning can be recycled right back in again.

 

[alchemize]

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01
How does this fit into our economy of scarcity? If we can't have a industrial military complex built around the desire and need for energy then what will we do with our time?

More reality TV.

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH
So thing to do with this in the short term is put this on the tail end of coal and gas burning power plants.... then use the CO2 has feed stock for these biofuel plants.

Be great if this technology works out.

Yes. It's been calculated that doing this can decrease the carbon footprint of the power plant by ~50%. I don't recall the acreage required to accomplish this though. Think it was a square mile or two.

 

[cubeless]

Originally posted by: TruePaige

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01
How does this fit into our economy of scarcity? If we can't have a industrial military complex built around the desire and need for energy then what will we do with our time?

Paint?

caulk leaky houses...

 

[cubeless]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH
So thing to do with this in the short term is put this on the tail end of coal and gas burning power plants.... then use the CO2 has feed stock for these biofuel plants.

Be great if this technology works out.

And why not the biofuel for the coal and gas.

If i understand your question aright... you are asking why not get rid of coal and gas in favor of biofuel?

That would be great but from what it looks like... this biofuel process needs a concentrated stream of CO2 as a process feed. So aside from fossil fuel sources we'd have to burn plant matter, I'm thinking, to produce a concentrated CO2 stream.

Realistically, coal and gas are gonna be around for a while as part of our electrical power production 'landscape'... lets use the CO2 instead venting it into the atmosphere.

You are right. I did not see first time reading that a concentrated source of CO2 is to be used. That, to my mind might put a serious wrinkle in the viability of this process on a very large scale. What I meant, however, is that the fuel can be burned just like coal or gas to make power. It is a form of solar energy that can make fuel in the day 100 times more efficiently that battery storage, which can be burned at night to make electricity conventionally and the CO2 from burning can be recycled right back in again.

but the cost for co2 scrubbing is what makes 'clean coal' not work... is that cost included in the $50 a barrel? always need to look at the full stream cost when evaluating these things...

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

We already have the answer to imported oil right under our noses; it's called the massive amounts of oil/gas/coal that we have available here in the United States. The ultra-liberal enviro-wackos won't let us get it though, making the need for imported oil even worse.

Biofuels, "alternative energy", "green energy", etc. are all well and good for the future, but we need something that works well in the meantime until those alternatives are ready for primetime.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer
We already have the answer to imported oil right under our noses; it's called the massive amounts of oil/gas/coal that we have available here in the United States. The ultra-liberal enviro-wackos won't let us get it though, making the need for imported oil even worse.

Biofuels, "alternative energy", "green energy", etc. are all well and good for the future, but we need something that works well in the meantime until those alternatives are ready for primetime.

Good plan. Resort to name-calling.

There is a glut of oil in the world. Demand is down. Production capability is up. US rigs in production are down 50% and US refinery capacity is running at 80%.

What was your point, again? Oh, that's right. You don't have one.

 

[RadioHead84]

Sounds pretty sweet..but we read these kinds of things all the time and never see them

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer
We already have the answer to imported oil right under our noses; it's called the massive amounts of oil/gas/coal that we have available here in the United States. The ultra-liberal enviro-wackos won't let us get it though, making the need for imported oil even worse.

Biofuels, "alternative energy", "green energy", etc. are all well and good for the future, but we need something that works well in the meantime until those alternatives are ready for primetime.

Good plan. Resort to name-calling.

There is a glut of oil in the world. Demand is down. Production capability is up. US rigs in production are down 50% and US refinery capacity is running at 80%.

What was your point, again? Oh, that's right. You don't have one.

Sorry that the truth hurts.

Way to try and defuse and deflect my point though. The fact of the matter is that we have enough oil available in the United States that we would not need any foreign oil for many generations. Yet, the enviro-wackos fight tooth-and-nail every time we try and use our natural resources, and we are required to go to foreign oil in order to meet our energy needs.

The reality is that many of these "alternate energies" are great ideas, but they are simply not ready to economically and efficiently meet our energy needs at this time.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer
We already have the answer to imported oil right under our noses; it's called the massive amounts of oil/gas/coal that we have available here in the United States. The ultra-liberal enviro-wackos won't let us get it though, making the need for imported oil even worse.

Biofuels, "alternative energy", "green energy", etc. are all well and good for the future, but we need something that works well in the meantime until those alternatives are ready for primetime.

:roll:

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer
We already have the answer to imported oil right under our noses; it's called the massive amounts of oil/gas/coal that we have available here in the United States. The ultra-liberal enviro-wackos won't let us get it though, making the need for imported oil even worse.

Biofuels, "alternative energy", "green energy", etc. are all well and good for the future, but we need something that works well in the meantime until those alternatives are ready for primetime.

:roll:

Nice arguments and counter-points there.

Then again, what should I expect?

:roll:

 

[SammyJr]

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer
We already have the answer to imported oil right under our noses; it's called the massive amounts of oil/gas/coal that we have available here in the United States. The ultra-liberal enviro-wackos won't let us get it though, making the need for imported oil even worse.

Biofuels, "alternative energy", "green energy", etc. are all well and good for the future, but we need something that works well in the meantime until those alternatives are ready for primetime.

:roll:

Nice arguments and counter-points there.

Then again, what should I expect?

:roll:

You get rolling eyes because you provide the typical Republican talking point. Everyone knows that the ability to drill/strip mine/etc would be followed by absolutely no funding for alternative energy research. The Republican plan is to keep us on fossil fuels, no matter what and if you believe otherwise, you are foolish.

 

[Bowfinger]

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer
We already have the answer to imported oil right under our noses; it's called the massive amounts of oil/gas/coal that we have available here in the United States. The ultra-liberal enviro-wackos won't let us get it though, making the need for imported oil even worse.

Biofuels, "alternative energy", "green energy", etc. are all well and good for the future, but we need something that works well in the meantime until those alternatives are ready for primetime.

:roll:

Nice arguments and counter-points there.

Then again, what should I expect?

:roll:

It was all your purely partisan thread-crapping deserved. Just for the sake of novelty, how about you try making thoughtful, on-topic responses instead of parroting wing-nut bumper stickers? You know, get out of you comfort zone and push your brain out of idle.

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

Originally posted by: SammyJr

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer
We already have the answer to imported oil right under our noses; it's called the massive amounts of oil/gas/coal that we have available here in the United States. The ultra-liberal enviro-wackos won't let us get it though, making the need for imported oil even worse.

Biofuels, "alternative energy", "green energy", etc. are all well and good for the future, but we need something that works well in the meantime until those alternatives are ready for primetime.

:roll:

Nice arguments and counter-points there.

Then again, what should I expect?

:roll:

You get rolling eyes because you provide the typical Republican talking point. Everyone knows that the ability to drill/strip mine/etc would be followed by absolutely no funding for alternative energy research. The Republican plan is to keep us on fossil fuels, no matter what and if you believe otherwise, you are foolish.

Oh the irony...you claim the "Republican talking point" angle, yet what you said is word-for-word the Democrat talking point.

:laugh:

Notice how I said that researching alternate energy solutions is a very good idea. However, they are not ready to economically and efficiently power this country any time soon. Until they are ready, we need to keep relying on oil/gas/coal, and we have a ton available here in the US...enough to make us not need foreign oil at all for decades, if not longer.

If you think that we can switch to biofuels tomorrow and totally ditch oil/gas/coal, you are either willfully ignorant because of your agenda or extremely naive. Perhaps both.

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

Originally posted by: Bowfinger

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: RyanPaulShaffer
We already have the answer to imported oil right under our noses; it's called the massive amounts of oil/gas/coal that we have available here in the United States. The ultra-liberal enviro-wackos won't let us get it though, making the need for imported oil even worse.

Biofuels, "alternative energy", "green energy", etc. are all well and good for the future, but we need something that works well in the meantime until those alternatives are ready for primetime.

:roll:

Nice arguments and counter-points there.

Then again, what should I expect?

:roll:

It was all your purely partisan thread-crapping deserved. Just for the sake of novelty, how about you try making thoughtful, on-topic responses instead of parroting wing-nut bumper stickers? You know, get out of you comfort zone and push your brain out of idle.

More hilarity and irony ensues. Ironically, it was your buddy JSt0rm01 who first made an "off-topic" and "bumper-sticker" post on page 1, post #4. Why did you not chastise him?

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01
How does this fit into our economy of scarcity? If we can't have a industrial military complex built around the desire and need for energy then what will we do with our time?

My posts were very on-topic. The topic title is "An answer to imported oil may be at hand". The answer to imported oil is already at hand, and has been forever. It's called using our own natural resources. Alternate fuels are a very good idea, but they aren't anywhere close to being able to power the US.

You and your buddies just don't like the truth, hence the insults and attacks.