Audi Has Made Diesel From Water And Carbon Dioxide

[Furn]

As the 2nd article mentions...once again it comes from solar...wind and hydropower.

I'm sure you realize that refining crude oil into gasoline is something that also requires energy consumption...it's not like gasoline is pumped from the ground or oil wells. It requires mass amounts of energy to refine oil into gasoline and it is none of which is green energy. And exploration and digging new wells is not cheap nor without energy consumption. It is also a hit and miss venture.

You have to believe that if this was not an economically viable project it would have gone nowhere.

Refining oil doesn't compare energy wise, 1 barrell of oil contains around 6million kilojoules of chemical energy. So to make a barrell from the products of combustion you need to put at least that back in. Thats not including all the machinery etc. thats just to balance the chemistry. You cant just create energy from thin air.

Im not saying this isnt a good thing im just saying that you still need a massive source of renewable energy from somewhere.

As for it being economically viable very little scientific research is initially economically viable.

[jaded]

Refining oil doesn't compare energy wise, 1 barrell of oil contains around 6million kilojoules of chemical energy. So to make a barrell from the products of combustion you need to put at least that back in. Thats not including all the machinery etc. thats just to balance the chemistry. You cant just create energy from thin air.
Im not saying this isnt a good thing im just saying that you still need a massive source of renewable energy from somewhere.

As for it being economically viable very little scientific research is initially economically viable.

What is your point? Who ever said it won't take any energy to create e-diesel? Why are you even saying this?

I think this is very interesting news...but I am not privy to the actual dynamics of the production of it nor the economics of Audi's project and I'm pretty sure you are not either. Honestly it sounds like you are just tying to argue here...to be the devil's advocate.

My guess is they did a pretty comprehensive study into the economic viability of it and doubt they just took a shot in the dark as to whether it will fly economically...at some point it will and the technology alone will be worth a fortune. The initial project is rooted from the 1920's so obviously there have been obstacles...many of which have to do with the monopoly that controls oil (that's another story). Irregardless I find it pretty interesting from a scientific point of view and seems to be closer than ever to fruition.