Doc1
Has No Life - Lives on TB
If any of you want to get up to speed quickly on this technology, I suggest that you read the Wiki entry, below:
en.wikipedia.org
I've never been one to believe that we'll run out of oil and gas. Anyone who looks into the subject in any depth should realize that there will always be hydrocarbon fuels available. The cost of this availability is the rub. As with virtually everything in this world, the more dear resources become, the less they are available to the general public and they become the domain of the wealthy and/or politically powerful. As an example, in WWII both Germany and Japan suffered from extreme fuel shortages. Nonetheless, Hitler, Himmler and the other Nazi higher-ups always had fuel. Similarly, Japanese Emperor Hirohito and the Japanese military and political elite were always driven in motor vehicles 'til the end of the war.
The basic coal-to-oil technologies have been around for over 100 years and at times during WWII, the majority of all of Germany's fuel came from that resource. In later decades, the South African Government subsidized the coal to liquid technology through the firm, SASOL. In fact, I've driven through countless tanks of this coal-derived gasoline when I lived in South Africa. The United States still has massive coal reserves and I've seen very little public discourse regarding the future possibilities of turning at least some of that coal into liquid fuels.
In addition to liquid fuels, it is also possible to turn wood and other organic materials into fuel gasses. This is also very old technology and - to use another WWII example - during the war, many European farmers used wood-derived fuel gasses to power their tractors and other farm equipment.
None of those possibilities is cheap, but they have been used successfully in the past and I'm certain that our more sophisticated technologies and abilities could make a much better job of them than the WWII era versions.
I'd be interested in hearing other board members thoughts on these future possibilities.
Best
Doc
Coal liquefaction - Wikipedia
I've never been one to believe that we'll run out of oil and gas. Anyone who looks into the subject in any depth should realize that there will always be hydrocarbon fuels available. The cost of this availability is the rub. As with virtually everything in this world, the more dear resources become, the less they are available to the general public and they become the domain of the wealthy and/or politically powerful. As an example, in WWII both Germany and Japan suffered from extreme fuel shortages. Nonetheless, Hitler, Himmler and the other Nazi higher-ups always had fuel. Similarly, Japanese Emperor Hirohito and the Japanese military and political elite were always driven in motor vehicles 'til the end of the war.
The basic coal-to-oil technologies have been around for over 100 years and at times during WWII, the majority of all of Germany's fuel came from that resource. In later decades, the South African Government subsidized the coal to liquid technology through the firm, SASOL. In fact, I've driven through countless tanks of this coal-derived gasoline when I lived in South Africa. The United States still has massive coal reserves and I've seen very little public discourse regarding the future possibilities of turning at least some of that coal into liquid fuels.
In addition to liquid fuels, it is also possible to turn wood and other organic materials into fuel gasses. This is also very old technology and - to use another WWII example - during the war, many European farmers used wood-derived fuel gasses to power their tractors and other farm equipment.
None of those possibilities is cheap, but they have been used successfully in the past and I'm certain that our more sophisticated technologies and abilities could make a much better job of them than the WWII era versions.
I'd be interested in hearing other board members thoughts on these future possibilities.
Best
Doc
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