Peak Oil - the coming catastrophe

[katie1997]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Salter's Duck was 70s technology, and the costs

> didn't add up. But it was a pioneering project

> nonetheless, and there are many other, more

> viable, modern systems.

That's true Jeremy, and Dickensman, I agree, I don't think that we have invested enough in tidal power technology (even by today's standards) in the UK.

A lot of new tech in this field has either not been developed at scale or is still in the very early stages of commercial development. It currently competes with the oil industry for shipping needs alone, not easy.

It's a fascinating area of alternative energy that I think will take off in other (non-European) countries before it does here.

[wjfox]

Just weeks after writing my blog, I've come across this amazing article...

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New machine converts plastics back to oil

This may well be one of the most revolutionary machines to hit the market, although, in a way, it couldn?t be simpler. Plastic chokes everything. Our water ways, including the Mediterranean. Camels and other animals. And given that it is made from petroleum products, it is a drain on our energy sources.

A Japanese man concerned about the environment his children have inherited dreamed up a way to convert plastic back into oil, reducing carbon emissions in the process. With all the plastic in the world still in existence, and peak oil on its way, plastic (and a machine like this) may soon become one of the world?s most prized commodities.

Conceived by Akinori Ito with the Blest Corporation, this machine can handle all kinds of plastics including polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene. And they can be made in various sizes from small to large that can be used in a range of applications (personal to industrial).

Full story: http://www.greenprophet.com/2011/01/plastic-back-to-oil/#more-38327

Video:

[Huguenot]

It would be good to see some peer review before putting much faith into that machine.

[HAL9000]

There's nothing new here - the gasification of plastics (or other hydrocarbons) by distillation has been around since the 1920s. See Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act.

This sort of technology won't become feasible before coal-to-oil via the Fischer?Tropsch process becomes economically viable.

[minkturtle]

...

[20goto10]

as with all others is kinda futile. Mathusian theory re: exponential growth and subsistence is the base to work from. It is not there is not enough oil, its that there are too many humans!!! Its easy to debate peak oil... try debating peak human! For those that find this distatsteful, I ask.. At what point do we take this subject on? When there is not enough food for all classes to survive?

[mockney piers]

Well done you for tackling the obvious head on.

....and your solution?

[LadyDeliah]

There is enough food for everyone. The problem is uneven distribution of land and resources. There will not be a time when there are so many people that the rich can't eat enough food. All the plebs will be toast before that happens.

[minkturtle]

...

[mockney piers]

Policy dictated by talking gorillas. It's original thinking I'll grant you.

"let them eat nothing" were you Marie Antoinette's evil twin in a past life?

[Jeremy]

minkturtle Wrote:

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> won't feeding starving

> people just increase the population and then

> require more food and make more starvation?

Not if we provide them with the means to produce food, build infrastructure, and generate wealth...

[minkturtle]

...

[louisiana]

LadyDeliah Wrote:

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> There is enough food for everyone. The problem is

> uneven distribution of land and resources. There

> will not be a time when there are so many people

> that the rich can't eat enough food. All the

> plebs will be toast before that happens.

There might be enough for everyone right now. But there won't be enough in the future.

Exponential growth of population; non-exponential growth of food production (and everything-else production).

[wjfox]

Interesting story here.

However - my concern is, you get these amazing stories from time to time (e.g. cancer breakthroughs, a cure for AIDS), and then seemingly hear nothing about them ever again. That's what I predict will happen with this. It's like it's too good to be true. So, I remain worried about peak oil.

The government would probably tax this fuel anyway, even if it does get developed, so prices will remain high.

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http://images.gizmag.com/hero/synthetic-gasoline-with-no-carbon-emissions.jpg

Cella Energy CEO Stephen Voller exhibits his breakthrough technology - right shows the

fuel's hydrogen microbeads under a microscope

Breakthrough promises $1.50 per gallon synthetic gasoline

with no carbon emissions

By Mike Hanlon

05:26 January 26, 2011

UK-based Cella Energy has developed a synthetic fuel that could lead to US$1.50 per gallon gasoline. Apart from promising a future transportation fuel with a stable price regardless of oil prices, the fuel is hydrogen based and produces no carbon emissions when burned. The technology is based on complex hydrides, and has been developed over a four year top secret program at the prestigious Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford. Early indications are that the fuel can be used in existing internal combustion engined vehicles without engine modification.

According to Stephen Voller CEO at Cella Energy, the technology was developed using advanced materials science, taking high energy materials and encapsulating them using a nanostructuring technique called coaxial electrospraying.

?We have developed new micro-beads that can be used in an existing gasoline or petrol vehicle to replace oil-based fuels,? said Voller. ?Early indications are that the micro-beads can be used in existing vehicles without engine modification.?

?The materials are hydrogen-based, and so when used produce no carbon emissions at the point of use, in a similar way to electric vehicles?, said Voller.

Full story: http://www.gizmag.com/breakthrough-promises-150-per-gallon-synthetic-gasoline-with-no-carbon-emissions/17687/

[wjfox]

See also:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/a-brave-new-world-of-fossil-fuels-on-demand/article1871149/

I predict nothing will come of this, too.

I hope I'm proved wrong. :)

[HAL9000]

wjfox Wrote:

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> Breakthrough promises $1.50 per gallon synthetic gasoline with no carbon emissions

Looking at Cella Energy's technology page reveals precious little that is new here - ammonia-borane has long been known and investigated as a potential hydrogen storage medium.

The only innovation, as far as I can see, is the adaptation of micro-encapsulation, which is otherwise used in scratch-and-sniff perfume samplers - amongst other uses. A quote from the technology page provides perspective:

"Our current composite material uses ammonia borane NH3BH3 as the hydride and polystyrene as the polymer nano-scaffold. Ammonia borane in its normal state releases 12wt% of hydrogen at temperatures between 110?C and 150?C, but with very slow kinetics. In our materials the accessible hydrogen content is reduced to 6wt% but the temperature of operation is reduced so that it starts releasing hydrogen below 80?C and the kinetics are an order of magnitude faster. Although ideal for our proof-of-concept work and potentially useful for the initial demonstrator projects it is not currently a viable commercial material: it is expensive to make and cannot be easily re-hydrided or chemically recycled."

 

[wjfox]

WikiLeaks cables: Saudi Arabia cannot pump enough oil to keep a lid on prices

US diplomat convinced by Saudi expert that reserves of world's biggest oil exporter have been overstated by nearly 40%

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/08/saudi-oil-reserves-overstated-wikileaks

[louisiana]

Oil investor Matt Simmons summed it all up in his book several years ago:

Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy

[Jeremy]

I've been thinking about this... not just oil, but fossil fuels in general. And then I read an article about Dale Vince and Ecotricity.

Lots of people on here talk a good talk, but has anyone put their money where their mouth is and signed up with a green electricity supplier?

[????]

*.....tumbleweed blows across EDF...the sound of a distant bell tolling is heard...faces hide nervously behind opened Guardians*

[louisiana]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> I've been thinking about this... not just oil, but

> fossil fuels in general. And then I read an

> article about Dale Vince and Ecotricity.

>

> Lots of people on here talk a good talk, but has

> anyone put their money where their mouth is and

> signed up with a green electricity supplier?

Yes.

[louisiana]

Quids, after a friend posted this image on *another district forum*, there was a suspension, for ever.... [nervous titter]

Of course, now the news from Saudi has appeared in the Grauniad, all good sandal-wearers should be nervous, but they probably already were. The problem is with the Express and Sun and Mail readers.

[Jeremy]

louisiana Wrote:

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> Yes.

Good stuff. Did you go with Ecotricity, or someone else?

[louisiana]

Ecotricity.

Some considerable time ago, I went for a 'fair's-fair' supplier, not green unfortunately. The idea: no quarterly charge, no-more-expensive-for-those-who-use-less. Because it's fairer for the less well off, for those who use pre-paid etc.

But I finally decided that green generation is now more important than any other consideration.

[fyvum]

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