CO2 Recycling Profit



 
Herein is an excellent and detailed summation, by an authoritative source, of our argument that the Carbon Dioxide arising from our use of coal - whether that coal is combusted to generate electricity or converted to manufacture liquid fuels - is a potentially quite valuable by-product of coal use. It is a raw material resource that can be profitably recovered and employed.
 
Some pertinent excerpts:
 
"...why expensively transport and store the CO2 underground when it could be profitably recycled post-capture?"
 
Our question, our point, exactly. And: 

"Researchers and start-up companies are now investigating a wide range of CO2 conversion methods."

"... electro-reduction of carbon dioxide (ERC), aims to take CO2 directly from industrial waste gases and convert it to formate salts and/or formic acid, both valuable chemicals used in a variety of industrial applications. Formic acid also has the potential to play a leading role in fuel cell development, both as a direct fuel and as a fuel storage material for on-demand release of hydrogen."

"The ERC technology could provide a net revenue of up to US$700 per tonne of CO2 recycled, with an ROI previously forecast at 20% per year..."

"Compared with CCS, the ERC provides a positive return on investment, not an unrecoverable cost."

"In a speech to the United States Senate Margie Tatro, Director of Fuel and Water Systems at Sandia National Laboratories, a U.S. Department of Energyadvocates that carbon recycling is the way of the future." run research center formed to develop science-based technologies that support national security,

"“We must act now to stimulate this area of research and development. Other countries are exploring reuse and recycling of CO2 and it would be unfortunate if the U.S. became dependent on imported technology in this critical area,” says Tatro."

"Carbon recycling options being developed globally vary considerably. The range includes the biochemical conversion of CO2 into algal biofuel, the thermochemical conversion into methanol and the biocatalytic or solar photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to fuels... ".

"As fear of climate change grips the globe, businesses and governments are desperate to find an answer to our CO2 problem. Relying solely on CCS is an incredibly risky and in many places unworkably expensive solution. More imaginative thinking shows us that the 27 billion metric tons of CO2 per year may actually represent a business opportunity."

"A budding industry, carbon recycling for profit offers an exciting and viable alternative to carbon capture and storage programs. Without a doubt, as a portfolio of solutions will have to be developed to address climate change, carbon recycling is destined to be at the forefront."

Reuse and recycle. With the potential of a 20% Return On Investment, as noted above, the by-products of using our Old Black could very well be the New Green.