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Today's atmospheric CO2 could be tomorrow's synthetic fuel

Wednesday, 18 August 2010 16:34

Image: www.freefoto.com

For over 20 years, Risø DTU has been conducting R&D into a certain type of fuel cell called a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. These relatively high temperature devices can produce electricity by turning carbon monoxide, hydrogen and oxygen into CO2 and water vapour. And right from the start, the scientists at Risø DTU have been aware that the process is reversible. Instead of using a fuel cell to generate electricity, one can supply electricity to it and force the chemical reaction to run backwards - turning atmospheric CO2 and water vapour into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which can then be chemically combined to make synthetic hydrocarbon fuels. This reverse process is energy requiring, and that means it costs money. But at Risø DTU they estimate that there is a realistic possibility of producing synthetic petrol at 5½ kroner per litre.

There is still a long way to go before the energy conversion efficiency and operational lifetime of the Solid Oxide Electrolyser Cell, as it is called, is developed to a commercially viable point. But at Risø DTU they are confident that the objective can be realised, and that when the Earth's oil, coal, and natural gas reserves are terminally depleted, there will be a technology that can use renewable resources like wind energy to convert atmospheric CO2 and water vapour back into hydrocarbon fuels that can power the world.

Source: Denmark.dk, Image: Freefoto.com