Carbon Recycling International
We have previously reported on the Carbon conversion work of Nobel Laureate George Olah, at the University of Southern California's Loker Hydrocarbon Institute.
Our most recent dispatch concerning him can be found on the West Virginia Coal Association's web site as: California Recycles CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development | News, which report includes a link to: https://wiki.ornl.gov/sites/carboncapture/Shared%20Documents/Background%20Materials/Alternative%20Methods/G.%20Olah.pdf; wherein, in a January, 2009, article for the American Chemical Society, Olah discloses details of the "Chemical Recycling of Carbon Dioxide", and how Carbon Dioxide can be converted into the liquid fuel, Methanol.
That work shouldn't have appeared as being too groundbreaking, really, since, as we documented in our report concerning: USDOE Converts CO2 to Liquid Fuel | Research & Development | News, which revealed details of:United States Patent: 3959094; - "Synthesis of Methanol from Carbon Dioxide"; which was issued in May of 1976 to our oft-cited Meyer Steinberg, an accomplished scientist in the employ of our own United States Government at the Brookhaven, New York, National Laboratory, our US Government has officially known for more than three decades that CO2 can be thus productively recycled.
Just yesterday, we also reminded you of an earlier dispatch, not yet we think posted on the WV Coal Association's web site, wherein scientists from both Iceland and the USA had applied for a World Patent on technology that would convert Carbon Dioxide into liquid hydrocarbon fuels, as can be accessed via the link:
(WO/2007/108014) PROCESS FOR PRODUCING LIQUID FUEL FROM CARBON DIOXIDE AND WATER
In any case, Nobel Laureate George Olah has gotten together with some of those folks in Iceland.
And, perhaps before this year is out, just as you can, in South Africa, pull into a service station and get your car filled up with premium gasoline made by SASOL, from Coal, you might also be able to pull into a service station on the other end of the world, in Iceland, and fill 'er up with recycled Carbon Dioxide.
Comment follows a few excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"CRI breaks ground for the first CO2 to Renewable Methanol Industrial Scale Plant in the world:
Carbon Recycling International (CRI) captures carbon dioxide from industrial emissions and converts carbon dioxide into clean Renewable Methanol (RM) fuel. RM can be blended with different grades of gasoline for existing automobiles and hybrid flexible vehicles. The capture of carbon dioxide results in a net reduction of carbon dioxide from power generation. It is a cost effective method and sustainable production of renewable fuel.
RM fuel can be utilized in existing automobiles and distributed by the current gasoline stations. RM can potentially be a sustainable source of renewable fuel for Iceland and Europe. The production of RM and the harnessing of renewable energy are feasible in Iceland and in many other similar locations in the world. CRI plans to construct larger plants for export to other European countries.
The ground-breaking of the George Olah Plant took place on October 17 2009 in Svartsengi, Iceland. CRI will construct an Industrial Scale Plant to capture carbon dioxide from emissions and produce Renewable Methanol (RM) which can be used to power existing automobiles without requiring new gasoline station infrastructure. Consumers will be able to fill up their tanks at OLIS, one of the leading gasoline companies in Iceland, at the end of 2010."
-------------
All of that won't, of course, be surprising to our oil industry colleagues, who have all known for a very long time that CO2 can be productively recycled; as witness, for one instance out of several, another of our recent posts, as appearing on the WV Coal Association's web site as: Texaco Recycles CO2 to Methanol & Methane | Research & Development | News; wherein is disclosed United States Patent: 4523981 - "Means and Method for Reducing Carbon Dioxide to Provide a Product; June, 1985; Assignee: Texaco Incorporated, NY; Abstract: A process for reducing carbon dioxide to at least one useful product ... (including) formic acid (and/or) formaldehyde (and.or) methanol (and/or) methane."
Nor will it be news to our esteemed international competitors, as witness, again as one instance out of several, our post of: Korea Converts More CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development | News; wherein is disclosed the report: http://www.anl.gov/PCS/acsfuel/preprint%20archive/Files/45_4_WASHINGTON%20DC_08-00_0686.pdf - "CAMERE Process for Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation to form Methanol; August, 2000; Korea Institute of Science and Technology" - the title of which should be self-explanatory.