We have many times reported on, and made reference to, the "Tri-reforming" technology developed by Penn State University, wherein reclaimed flue-gas Carbon Dioxide is reacted with Methane to synthesize higher, and commercially valuable, hydrocarbons.
We have, of course, documented, and will further document, that the needed Methane can be synthesized, via the 1912 Nobel-winning Sabatier process, from Carbon Dioxide; or, via processes of Steam gasification, from Coal.
What we just recently discovered, however, is that the development of Penn State's technology for the recycling of Carbon Dioxide was paid for, at least in part, by us.
Comment follows excerpts from the enclosed link to, and attached file of:
"An Innovative Concept for CO2-based Tri-generation of Fuels, Chemicals and Electricity using Flue Gas
Date: March, 2001
Author: Chunsan Song, et.al.
Institution: The Pennsylvania State University
Grant: DE-FG26-OONT 40829
Abstract: The objective ... is to explore the ... CO2-based tri-generation of fuels, electricity and chemicals via tri-reforming using flue gas from power plants without CO2 separation.
Our ... study has shown the feasibility of the proposed concept."
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In 2001, nine years ago, our tax money was used, via the US Department of Energy grant specified above, by a local institution of higher learning, to demonstrate the technology for, and show the feasibility of, making "fuels, electricity and chemicals" out of the "flue gas" arising from Coal-fired "power plants".
The feasibility has been shown. And, based on other of our reports, with some yet to follow, the practicality has since been demonstrated.
Yet, even though our US Government, as herein, paid for, with our tax dollars, the development of such promising Carbon Dioxide recycling technology; that same Government still allows our vital Coal-use industries to suffer the looming and costly threats of such unproductive schemes and scams as Cap & Trade and enforced Geologic Sequestration.
Moreover, all US citizens are made to suffer on-going economic predation by OPEC, and their ilk, while we have, in hand, the technology to synthesize the "fuels" we need both through the liquefaction of Coal, and, again as herein, through "CO2-based tri-generation" technology.