We have documented more than thoroughly that Carbon Dioxide, as arises in a small way, relative to natural sources of emission, such as volcanism and seasonal vegetative rot, from our varied and productive uses of Coal, is a valuable raw material resource, from which, like Coal, if we really wanted, we could synthesize liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels.
We have also documented that such knowledge concerning Carbon Dioxide's true raw material potential is, in certain circles, well-known and well-understood; and, that such knowledge might be providing commercial motivation for the surreptitious support of taxation schemes like Cap & Trade; and, for the promotion of outright scams like the sequestration of CO2 in old oil fields, all at the expense of both the Coal industry and of the consumers of Coal-derived products, such as electricity.
As further testament to what we are convinced is Carbon Dioxide's true raw material potential, and, to what we perceive as the deliberate deceit surrounding that potential, we submit herein further evidence that the petroleum industry, and our own United States Government, know full well that CO2 can be productively and profitably reclaimed and recycled.
Summary comment follows excerpts from:
"United States Patent 4,523,981 - Means and Method for Reducing Carbon Dioxide to Provide a Product
Date: June, 1985
Inventor: Peter Ang, et. al., IL
Assignee: Texaco, Incorporated, NY
Abstract: A process for reducing carbon dioxide to at least one useful product includes two redox couple electrolyte solutions separated by a first membrane having photosensitizers. The carbon dioxide to be reduced is separated from one of the redox couple electrolyte solutions by another membrane having a catalyst. Water provides hydrogen ions which participate in the reduction of carbon dioxide via a separator. In the operation both membranes are illuminated and produce excited solar sensitizers which cause electron transfer from a first redox solution to the second redox solution and then to the carbon dioxide to react with the hydrogen ions, reducing the carbon dioxide to provide at least one product.
Claims: A process for reducing carbon dioxide to at least one useful product ... (including) formic acid (and/or) formaldehyde (and.or) methanol (and/or) methane.
Summary: A process and apparatus for reducing carbon dioxide to at least one useful product includes two redox couple electrolyte solutions separated by a first membrane having photosensitizers. The carbon dioxide to be reduced is separated from one of the redox couple electrolyte solutions by another membrane having photosensitizers and a catalyst. Water provides hydrogen ions which participate in the reduction of the carbon dioxide via a separator. in operation both membranes are illuminated and produce excited photosensitizers which cause electron transfer from a first redox solution to a second redox solution and thence to the carbon dioxide thereby, in cooperation with the hydrogen ions, reducing the carbon dioxide to provide at least one product."
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The full description is, of course, replete with chemical shorthand that would require the help of truly knowledgeable experts to translate for the rest of us. But, as with other Carbon Dioxide recycling technologies we've documented for you, Texaco, since absorbed into Chevron, specifies the use of use of light energy to drive the process.
And, yet again, once we have, as above, the Methane and the Methanol, synthesized from Carbon Dioxide, we can convert, as per other technologies we have documented for you, either one into liquid hydrocarbons.
Moreover, Methane has the special potential to be reacted, in tri-reforming processes such as described by Penn State University, with more Carbon Dioxide to synthesize liquid hydrocarbons. And, Methanol can be converted, as per ExxonMobil's "MTG"(r) technology, into Gasoline, or, used as a raw material in the manufacture of certain plastics, wherein the CO2 used in the synthesis of such Methanol would be permanently, and productively and profitably, sequestered.
And, according to Texaco, now Chevron, and our United States Government, as herein, we could do all of that right here in United States Coal Country, using our sunlight to drive the process and our water to provide the Hydrogen.