cleantechbrief.com
Four things make Carbon Sciences’ technology particularly compelling, says Elton.
First, it represents the most direct path from carbon emissions to fuel.
Second, it returns the correct answer to the old advertising question, “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” Science has known how to turn CO2 into fuel for some time, but until now, the process has been prohibitively expensive, with the resulting fuel carrying a $500 to $600 per gallon price tag. Carbon Sciences believes fuel produced its way would be competitive with ethanol, which sells for about $1.65 per gallon.
Third, the result is “the same gas that goes into cars, the same jet fuel that goes into planes,” meaning no changes in infrastructure will be required. In contrast, he cites the example of ethanol, which corrodes traditional fuel pipes.
Finally, Elton points to the scalability of Carbon Sciences’ technology, which he says is “quite extraordinary.” In 2006, 26 billion metric tonnes of CO2 were released into the atmosphere – by 2030, this is expected to reach 42 billion metric tonnes. If you consider only the largest emitters – coal-fire plants – and imagine converting only half their expected 2030 emissions to fuel, you could produce enough fuel to meet 30% of the world’s needs, says Elton.
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