Turning Excess Gases into Precious Fuel

A company called Carbon Sciences is researching a new method of turning excess carbon dioxide gases back into basic fuel blocks. Their process uses biocatalysts, a natural catalyst that preforms chemical reactions, to convert carbon dioxide into methane, ethane, or propane. Methane, ethane, and propane can be used to make higher grade fuel like gasoline. Because this process doesn't use high temperatures or pressures, it is an energy efficient way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, Carbon Sciences is trying to turn carbon dioxide into calcium carbonates, which can be used to make plastics, paper, and pharmaceuticals. Although many research groups are trying to recycle carbon dioxide, only a few like Carbon Sciences are near an energy efficient way.

Other companies are also looking into uses for recycling carbon dioxide. In New Mexico, Sandia National Laboratories are exploring the ideas of using solar energy to turn carbon dioxide into fuel. Other scientists are looking to use carbon dioxide to make chemical compounds called cyclic carbonates to replace the need of oil in the chemical industry. A professor of Organic Chemistry at Newcastle University, Michael North, questions the success of Carbon Sciences method. Professor North states that, "Biocatalyst life span and poisoning -- by things like nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide and other impurities - will be the issues determining how feasible it is and how cost effective it is."

We need to inform more readers about the new technology of recycling carbon dioxide to make fuel. This technology is connected to everyone's lives because it is a step into becoming more environmentally friendly and help prevent global warming, a vital issue facing the world today. Because the build up of carbon dioxide is one of the causes of global warming, reducing, reusing, and recycling carbon emissions can help stop the climate crisis. The most interesting thing is that our technology has become advance enough to use waste like carbon dioxide and turn it into something vital and essential to everyday life like fuel. If reusing carbon dioxide is only one of the ways to reduce carbon emissions, what are other types of technology will be used in the future to stop the climate crisis? Also, if Carbon Sciences method is very successful, how big of an impact will it have on our world? Will we not have to depend on fossil fuels and only use recycled carbon dioxide for fuel? Hopefully in the future, scientists can discover more ways to harness energy for alternative sources.

Source:
Mathew Night, "Turning Carbon Dioxide into Fuel"