Future fuels

tarak · 04-11-2005

Fossil fuels deposits worldwide are finite i.e. they will run out one day. How many years more can these fossil fuels last. Scientists estimate that the world has roughly another 40 years of cheap recoverable crude oil left. Natural gas and coal is estimated to last about another 65 years to 230 years respectively.
What will happen when these fossil fuels become exhausted? Where will the world get its energy supplies from?
From where would the most promising alternative sustainable fuel come from?? biomass,solar energy, water or Hydrogen ??????????????????????????

UncleAl · 04-11-2005

Energy as such is no big deal - burn coal. We have extraordinary deposits of coal from 68 million years of Carboniferous period when the entire planet was a greenhouse. Energy as such is no big deal - recover continental shelf methane hydrate. Clean energy as such is no big deal - build nuclear reactors and recycle fuel.

Petroleum has two big advantages,

1) Portability. It's no biggie. Any carbon source gets you CO + H2 with steam. That gets you methanol over Cu/ZnO. Methanol gets you MX aromatic gasoline by dehydration over ZSM-5 shape-selective zeolite. Screw Enviro-whiners.

2) Petrochemistry. Nothing can replace petroleum for making stuff. That is the real bugaboo.

If you wish to diddle, US Colorado oil shale and Canadian Athabasca tar sands together contain some 10-15 cubic miles of recoverable hydrocarbon as petroleum. It's gonna cost ya.

Fishteacher73 · 04-11-2005

Energy sources are essentially not a problem. Thwe real issue is going to be the economic turmoil that arises what crue oil goes for a few hundered dollars a barrel. This may make alternative energy sources a better financial option, but they in no way will be as cheap as the curret petroleum based fuels we use today. As Uncle Al said, the other financial aspect is that petroleum products will become expensive... Plastic cups or parts for anything could become major factors into the cost of the end item.

Robust · 04-11-2005

There are innovative technologies at hand - cellulosic oil (I think our best but scuttled) and "Turkey" fuel, a recent developement and of which I can supply some info if desired.

Aki · 04-11-2005

The annihilation of matter and antimatter = 100% pure energy!

tarak · 04-11-2005

There should be a focus on recyclable energy sources which are sustainable over an indefinite period. Although multipronged strategies are in place to solve the problem,there is not a single economically viable alternative to the traditional hydrocarbon dependence.
One more initiative that should take shape is micro power generation at local levels using local resources,decentralization of power geenration.

Robust · 04-12-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarak

There should be a focus on recyclable energy sources which are sustainable over an indefinite period. Although multipronged strategies are in place to solve the problem,there is not a single economically viable alternative to the traditional hydrocarbon dependence.
One more initiative that should take shape is micro power generation at local levels using local resources,decentralization of power geenration.

Yes, there are alternatives, Tarak. The best of them is cellulosic oil developed by the U of Manchester, UK, but scuttled by the Crown (apparently). Newly arrived on the scene is "Turkey" fuel developed recently in the US. I can give some info on that if y'all wish.