Herein, from Germany, we have even further substantive confirmation that Carbon Dioxide, from whatever source it originates, is a raw material of potentially great value. Although these scientists are not, it seems, real fans of fossil energy, they are defining a way in which Carbon-emitting fossil energy use and environmental sustainability can be compatible.
These German scientists, via some different approaches, validate the recent issuance, by our United States Patent Office, of a patent for Carbon Dioxide recycling, to scientists at the University of Southern California.
Moreover, they demonstrate, and confirm research results we've reported from multiple US National Laboratories, through very thorough calculations and reasoning, that capturing Carbon Dioxide directly from the atmosphere, at remote sites, for whatever end purpose, by using environmental energy, is vastly more efficient than capturing it at the point of emission and then transporting it to another site for any manner of final disposition.
The translation from the original German is awkward, and careful reading is necessary.
They include, and refer to, in their report, many energy measurements and quantities that can be confusing, and we have not included those in our excerpted presentation. But they are, in essence, saying that collecting CO2 from the atmosphere at remote sites and reducing it to Carbon Monoxide, and then reacting that Carbon Monoxide with Hydrogen, electrolyzed from water, again using environmental energy, to synthesize liquid fuels, such as and especially Methanol, is a viable proposition. And, it is vastly preferable, on a purely practical basis, to CO2 capture at the point of emission, with subsequent costly transport to geologic storage.
Some excerpts, with many parenthetical clarifications inserted, and comment appended:
"T. WEIMER, K. SCHABER Institute of Thermodynamics, University of Karlsruhe, Germany;
M. SPECHT, A. BAND1 Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research, Stuttgart, Germany
Short term strategies for the reduction of the CO2 emissions are energy saving and efficient utilization. But as a successful long term strategy to stabilize the atmospheric C02-content only the substitution of fossil fuels by renewable energy sources can be accepted. ... Unfortunately, large renewable energy sources are ... located far away of the main energy consumption areas. ... If there is no realistic possibility to join an electric grid, renewable energy must be transported by energy carriers. For the intercontinental transport of energy as well as for energy storage, the generation of chemical energy carriers is the best alternative. Possible alternatives are hydrogen or liquid carbonaceous energy carriers. On the other hand, mobile applications of carbonaceous fuels have the most dynamic growth of all energy consumption sectors. Here chemical energy carriers are again the best alternative for the storage of energy ... . Both, hydrogen and methanol generated from renewable energy sources can be applied as energy carrier in automobiles.
For the generation of a climate neutral fuel using renewable energy, a closed loop process without net emissions is necessary.
The generation of hydrogen from water achieves the monoxide shift reaction ... .
... a chemical absorption process with MEA Solutions leads to the lowest specific energy demand for CO2 recovery ... .
The utilization of CO, from concentrated emissions for fuel synthesis at remote renewable energy sources leads (to independence from the expense of - JtM) long distant transport of the recovered CO2 ... (for which)purpose CO2 has to be liquefied and transported. (And) CO2 must be dried before (compressive) liquefaction... . At least special transport facilities are necessary.
A promising alternative for CO2 recovery (is) Enrichment of CO2 from (the) Atmosphere
A process for the recovery of CO2 from the atmosphere can be located anywhere. Two process designs, based on absorption of CO2 in caustic solutions, have been estimated. ... Taking solar energy as energy input, a process with precipitation of limestone from the scrubbing solution is more attractive than a regeneration of the scrubbing solution by electrodialysis, which is an interesting alternative if wind or hydro power are the energy sources.
The recovered CO2 can be processed directly without transportation or storage. Drying is not necessary. Additionally, because the CO2 is produced at temperatures of about 1200 K, solar high temperature processes like a conversion to carbon monoxide with hydrogen can be attached to the recovery process.
... the investment costs should be moderate.
... (an) alternative utilization of the renewable energy used for the CO2 enrichment from the atmosphere is supplying the fuel synthesis. A solar efficiency for the generation of methanol (MeOH) using atmospheric CO2 ... has been estimated. (Subtracting energy costs for capturing CO2 at points of emission and transporting it to sites of disposal) ... a very high solar efficiency ... for the generation of methanol (at remote sites) can be assumed.
(With these assumptions) 500 kJ (of) solar energy (can provide) 160kJ (of) gasoline.
The comparison of the possible fossil energy substitution (leads to) a more realistic energetic estimation for a decision between the different CO2 sources for climate neutral fuel synthesis.
The only investment are for the absorption column and for the solar heated drying and thermal decomposition of limestone.
No infrastructure for transport and storage of CO2 is necessary.
A combination of the CO2 recovery from air with other ... processes (increases the efficiency) for the fuel generation process. This will reduce the energy demand for the methanol synthesis with atmospheric carbon dioxide as (raw material).
CO2 recovery from air seems to be the better alternative compared to the CO2 recovery from concentrated emissions ... .The higher energy demand is supplied by remote located climate neutral energy ... (and) ... the savings in investment costs compared to the utilization of concentrated CO2 sources needing a complex infrastructure can be taken for the extension of the renewable energy plant. The more extensive use of renewable energy can supply the energy demand for the CO2 enrichment from air."
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The full dissertation demands reading and exposition by someone truly qualified. We will attempt to summarize:
It makes one heck of a lot, and we do mean a lot, more energy conservation and economic sense to place Carbon Dioxide capture facilities at remote locations, and then use environmental energy to both capture the CO2 from the atmosphere and then convert it into Methanol, than it does to capture CO2 at power plants, compress it, ship it via hugely expensive pipelines or other costly transport, and then pump it all down leaky geo-sequestration rat holes.
And, we'll note that this thorough German research affirms multiple, earlier reports we've submitted to you from some of our own, United States, universities and National Laboratories.
It is far past time we recognized and accepted Carbon Dioxide for what it truly is: a valuable raw material resource that arises - in only a small way compared to other human and, especially, natural sources - from our productive use of coal. We shouldn't allow ourselves to be conned out of it, or to be punished for producing it.
