this post was submitted on 02 Nov 2023
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Engineers develop an efficient process to make fuel from carbon dioxide::An efficient new process can convert carbon dioxide into formate, a material that can be used like hydrogen or methanol to power a fuel cell and generate electricity.

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[–] WaterWaiver@aussie.zone 47 points 2 years ago

Very misleading title. This is not an energy efficient process (what we need for energy storage), instead it has a high chemical yield.

[–] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 39 points 2 years ago (1 children)

You know what other methods converts carbon dioxide into energy? Planting potatoes!

[–] luthis@lemmy.nz 17 points 2 years ago (2 children)

That, and planting trees and never cutting them down. Although at least with potatoes you can make french fries.. french wood sticks definitely aren't so great in the air fryer

[–] foenkyfjutschah@programming.dev 8 points 2 years ago

no, you can actually cut down grown biomass and process it to chemically stable biochar for soil improvement! for more potatoes for more fries! and a side of coleslaw.

[–] coffeebiscuit@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

And alcohol. Which is also a fuel.

[–] Plopp@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It very much fuels my alcoholism!

[–] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 years ago

I know it fuels mine!

[–] MossyFeathers@pawb.social 26 points 2 years ago (3 children)
[–] SkybreakerEngineer@lemmy.world 36 points 2 years ago (1 children)

When they say it's efficient, they mean at not letting CO2 go, not in energy cost. Looks like step one is capturing it which is already energy intensive, and step 2 is reacting it with a strong base. So it takes a lot of stuff as input.

And they did this on a lab bench, not at scale in a plant.

[–] grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago

This and fusion, neck and neck.

[–] thisisawayoflife@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Burning it creates enormous clouds of Trioxin 2-4-5.

[–] burntbutterbiscuits@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Does trioxin perchance give one superpowers?

[–] meco03211@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

You have lymphoma.

[–] thisisawayoflife@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

You'll be able to feel yourself rot.

[–] pigup@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

That it burns the shit back into the atmosphere.

[–] Alfenhose 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yes, but if it could provide as an alternative to digging up oil and gass, and get the energy needed to make the transformation from sun, wind or other sustainable sources. It could lower the amount of new CO2 being put into the atmosphere as well as work as a way to store excess energy from wind and sun.

[–] SomeoneSomewhere@lemmy.nz 3 points 2 years ago

Yeah, it would basically act as a battery except much better energy and power density, and faster 'charging'.

The downside is invariably that round trip energy efficiency (electricity in vs electricity out) is somewhere between 'much worse' and 'terrible'.

[–] luthis@lemmy.nz 20 points 2 years ago

Guys, stop trying to break thermodynamics. You can't. You know this.

[–] RoyaltyInTraining@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

So we're gonna spend a whole bunch of energy to capture carbon, then use even more to turn it into fuel, and then just burn it again? Yea sorry, I am not convinced.

Edit: Unless if course they propose it for grid balancing, like we talk about doing with hydrogen. In that case, I wanna know exact energy efficiency numbers and equipment cost.

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 3 points 2 years ago

Carbon neutral fuel is a good thing.