Tech review - Gasoline from CO

[veggie]

Gasoline from Carbon Dioxide?
Technical article:
http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/18582/?a=f

I'm suspicious, but if this is for real, it could be a game changer.

veggie

[cognos]

Not likely a game changer.

It is possible to make gasoline - or most other hydrocarbons - from CO - or CO2. You just need to find the hydrogen somewhere, and the right catalyst, add some heat, an voila! "Gasoline"!

Gasoline - or more likely, Iso-octane - C8H18. "Simply" convert the CO2 to CO, strip off the oxygen from the CO, stick on some hydrogen in the right places...

It's possible to make "synthetic" oils from methane - CH4. Or fuels. It's just an assembly operation. But here, you're starting with hydrogen already stuck to the carbon...

It will all come down to the energy balance - like how much energy will need to be put into the process versus how much energy you can get out of the finished product.

I figure it will only be done if the initial energy input is essentially "free;", like, the hydrogen comes from electrolysis, the electricity provided by solar or wind. And the rest of the process - who knows? Carbon and oxygen bond pretty tightly.

Just my opinion.