Recycling CO2 waste into synthetic diesel

An effort is underway to commercialize technologies that convert carbon emissions into fuel. And they get solar energy to do it.

A solar reforming system uses concentrated solar heat to power chemical reactions that result in the breakdown of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and oxygen, which might then be used to synthesize diesel.

Announced earlier this week, the alliance includes Sandia National Laboratories,Renewable Energy Institute International, Pacific Renewable Fuels, Pratt Whitney Rocketdyne, Quanta Services, Desert Research Institute, and Clean Energy Systems.

Dennis Schuetzle, president of REII, said in a statement:

The alliance team members believe that the best way to accomplish CO2 reduction goals is to commercialize platforms that will utilize CO2 as a carbon feedstock for the production of valuable products, such as diesel fuel.

Situated near places such as coal-burning plants, natural gas processing facilities, cement factories and the like, the systems could capture waste CO2 in order to produce liquid fuels that could fit within much of our existing energy infrastructure. For decades, Sandia National Laboratories has been working to create "liquid solar fuel." In 2007, they constructed  a prototype solar reforming system called CR5 (the solar furnace for which is shown above).

At the time, Ellen Stechel of Sandia said:

This invention, though probably a good 15 to 20 years away from being on the market, holds a real promise of being able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while preserving options to keep using fuels we know and love. Recycling carbon dioxide into fuels provides an attractive alternative to burying it.

While I wouldn't use the term "love" for fossil fuels, the tech could help us avoid carbon one-night stands. Re-using the carbon waste may help us achieve meaningful emissions goals, and possibly reduce oil and coal extraction (and its accidents) while we're at it. If the tech proves successful (as well as the alliance set to commercialize it), waiting 15 to 20 years also may not be necessary.

According to REII, the first commercial plants could be here as early as 2013.

With funding from the National Energy Technology Laboratory, demonstrations of a solar reforming system are underway in Sacramento, California, with more prototypes expected at a proposed power plant in Bakersfield, as well as Sandia's New Mexico facilities.

Image: Sandia
Via: TES

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com