From sunlight to synfuels

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
There have been quite a few articles on similar projects. It is possible to use an organic PN junction to create hydrogen instead of electricity. Ultimately projects like these are where the future is.
 

GetDeviceInfo

Joined Jun 7, 2009
2,192
here in Alberta (and other places worldwide), we dig a bore hole into a seam of coal, and/or petroleum, ignite the fuel and then pump water into the reaction zone. The results are a high content hydrogen gas (syngas) that is then typically used for electrical generation. The process leaves much of the noxious pollutants within the slag residue, downhole. The gas can also be 'scrubbed' to further extract undesirables (sulphur being a common component). The process in general terms is coalbed gasification.

The common complaint from environmentalists is the relatively large water requirements. The purity of your fuel source will dictate the purity of your emissions, both in terms of enduse combustion byproducts as well as process byproducts.
 
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