Regan Brown
Gasoline, or petrol, is a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid that is used as fuel for cars. It is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, with between four and twelve carbon atoms per molecule. While gasoline is not pure carbon, carbon is an energy carrier vital to human society, and carbon-based fuels are still the dominant energy source. However, due to the pollutant gas emissions, low efficiencies, and heavy metal pollution associated with the use of gasoline, alternative fuels are being explored, including those made from carbon dioxide.
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What You'll Learn
Natural gas as a vehicle fuel
Natural gas is an increasingly popular alternative to gasoline and diesel for fuelling vehicles. It is a low-carbon fuel that can be used to power vehicles with internal combustion engines similar to those in gasoline and diesel vehicles. Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) are available for all types of applications, from personal vehicles to business fleets, and there are currently more than 28 million NGVs worldwide, with 175,000 of them on US roads.
NGVs can be powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). CNG is natural gas that has been compressed to 3,600 psig but remains in a gaseous state, while LNG is liquefied natural gas. LNG has a greater energy density than CNG because it is stored as a liquid, allowing more fuel to be stored onboard a vehicle. CNG and LNG are considered alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and are both clean-burning fuels that perform well against current vehicle emissions standards.
CNG vehicles produce up to 90% fewer emissions than gasoline or diesel and reduce greenhouse gases by 15-20% over diesel and gasoline. If the CNG is sourced from renewable natural gas (RNG) suppliers, such as landfills, water treatment plants, or agricultural waste digesters, the reduction in greenhouse gases is even more significant, up to 80-90% or even carbon-negative in some cases. Additionally, CNG vehicles can save up to 50% over conventional fuels and have lower maintenance costs since natural gas burns cleaner and has practically no carbon build-up, resulting in longer engine life.
Another advantage of NGVs is their ability to meet stringent emissions standards with less complicated emissions controls. For example, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires all fuels and vehicle types to meet increasingly lower thresholds for tailpipe emissions of air pollutants and particulate matter, which can be achieved with NGVs. Furthermore, converting conventional vehicles to operate on natural gas is a good option for incorporating alternative fuels into fleet operations. Qualified system retrofitters can economically, safely, and reliably convert many vehicles for natural gas operation with aftermarket conversion systems.
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Carbon-based fuel sources
Carbon-based fuels are any fuel principally derived from the oxidation or burning of carbon. They are divided into two main types: biofuels and fossil fuels. Biofuels are harvested from recently grown organic matter, such as forests and corn, while fossil fuels are extracted from the ground and include oil, coal, and natural gas. Biofuels are renewable, but fossil fuels are not, and their continued use contributes to the production of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that causes global warming and ocean acidification.
Fossil fuels, such as natural gas, are commonly used to fuel cars. Natural gas is a low-carbon fuel that can reduce hydrocarbon, CO, NOx, and GHG emissions when used in vehicles. It is also increasingly being used in smaller applications, such as forklifts and commercial lawn equipment, to replace gasoline. Renewable natural gas (RNG), or biomethane, is chemically identical to fossil natural gas but produces fewer GHG emissions, and can be blended with fossil natural gas to reduce emissions. Compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are also clean-burning fuels that meet current vehicle emissions standards.
However, the combustion of fossil fuels, including natural gas, contributes to carbon dioxide emissions, which make up a significant portion of total annual energy-related CO2 emissions. In the United States, natural gas accounts for about 37% of total annual energy-related CO2 emissions.
To address the environmental impact of fossil fuels, alternative fuel sources are being explored. Carbon Engineering (CE), a Canadian clean-energy firm, is developing technology to create vehicle fuel from carbon dioxide extracted from the atmosphere. This technology, based on the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, combines carbon monoxide with hydrogen under pressure to create a liquid hydrocarbon. This liquid fuel can be easily transported and sold through existing infrastructure. CE's fuel is estimated to cost $4 per US gallon, higher than the average price of gasoline in the US in 2019.
Another potential alternative to carbon-based fuels is hydrogen energy, which can be produced through the electrolysis of water using renewable electricity. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and produces only water as a byproduct, making it a zero-carbon-based fuel. Hydrogen energy can be directly transformed into electrical energy through fuel cells, making it a promising future fuel source.
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Turning carbon dioxide into fuel
Carbon-based fuels such as coal and natural gas are the dominating energy source due to their high volumetric energy density, low price, and rich reserves. However, the use of these fuels has several drawbacks, including the emission of pollutant gases, low efficiency, and heavy metal pollution. As a result, there is a growing interest in exploring alternative fuels, such as those derived from carbon dioxide.
Carbon Engineering (CE), a Canadian clean-energy firm, is at the forefront of this movement, developing technology to create vehicle fuel from carbon dioxide. The process, known as the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, involves combining carbon monoxide (converted from carbon dioxide) with hydrogen under pressure, using a metal catalyst. This results in the production of liquid hydrocarbons that can be used as fuel. CE has successfully demonstrated this process at a pilot plant in Squamish, British Columbia, and is now looking to scale up production.
Other organizations, such as MIT and Stanford University, are also making significant strides in turning carbon dioxide into fuel. MIT researchers have developed an efficient process to convert carbon dioxide into formate, a material that can be used like hydrogen or methanol to power a fuel cell and generate electricity. This formate fuel is non-toxic, non-flammable, and easy to store and transport, making it a promising alternative to traditional fuels.
Stanford University researchers are working on a similar concept, turning captured carbon dioxide into long-chain hydrocarbons, such as propane and butane, which can be used as gasoline. This process involves the use of a catalyst to increase the production of these long-chain hydrocarbons, which have the potential to capture and store carbon more effectively.
Additionally, NASA has developed solar-powered technology that can convert carbon dioxide into fuel using thin-film devices. These devices capture carbon dioxide and convert it into a usable fuel with a zero-carbon footprint. This technology offers a low-cost, sustainable solution to mitigate the impact of burning fossil fuels and can be easily integrated into existing fuel utilities.
In conclusion, the quest to turn carbon dioxide into fuel is gaining momentum, driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions and find sustainable alternatives to traditional fossil fuels. With advancements from companies like CE and research institutions like MIT and Stanford, the future of carbon dioxide-based fuels looks promising, offering the potential for a cleaner and more environmentally friendly energy source.
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Hydrogen fuel
Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water. Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen atoms in an electrochemical reaction similar to a battery. Hydrogen fuel cells are much more efficient than internal combustion engines running on gasoline and are considered zero-emission vehicles. Hydrogen is also used in industrial processes, as rocket fuel, and for electricity generation and powering vehicles.
The interest in hydrogen as an alternative transportation fuel stems from its ability to power fuel cells in zero-emission vehicles, its potential for domestic production, and its fast filling time. Hydrogen can be used in cars, in houses, for portable power, and in many other applications. Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be used to store, move, and deliver energy produced from other sources.
While hydrogen has many advantages as a fuel, there are some challenges to its use. One challenge is efficiently isolating it from water, hydrocarbons, and other organic matter. Additionally, the high cost of fuel cells and the limited availability of hydrogen fueling stations have restricted the number of hydrogen-fueled vehicles in use. Furthermore, using hydrogen in existing natural gas infrastructure and equipment poses challenges related to materials compatibility and combustion characteristics.
Despite these challenges, hydrogen fuel has the potential to play a significant role in decarbonizing the transportation sector. Government and industry are working towards clean, economical, and safe hydrogen production and distribution for use in transportation applications that cannot be easily decarbonized through electrification. Research and development are underway to reduce costs and improve the performance of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles.
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Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage
Carbon-based fuels such as coal and natural gas are the dominant energy sources due to their high volumetric energy density, low price, and rich reserves. However, the use of these fuels has led to significant carbon emissions, contributing to climate change and global warming. To address this issue, researchers and companies are exploring carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technologies to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate their environmental impact.
Another form of CCUS is bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), which involves capturing and permanently storing CO2 from processes where biomass is converted into fuels or burned to generate energy. BECCS is unique in that it is the only carbon dioxide removal technique that can also provide energy. This makes it particularly valuable in decarbonising sectors such as heavy industry, aviation, and trucking. The largest operating BECCS project is the Illinois Industrial CCS Project, which has been capturing CO2 for permanent storage in a deep geological formation since 2018.
While CCUS technologies show promise in reducing carbon emissions, there are challenges to their widespread implementation. For example, the development of infrastructure to transport and store captured CO2 has lagged behind, and the cost of producing these alternative fuels can be significantly higher than that of traditional fossil fuels. Despite these challenges, CCUS remains a critical component in the transition to a low-carbon economy, and governments and organisations worldwide are investing in research and development to improve these technologies and bring down costs.
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Frequently asked questions
No, gas that fuels cars is not pure carbon. Gasoline, or petrol, is a mixture of hydrocarbons with between four and twelve carbon atoms per molecule.
Gasoline is made from the fractional distillation of petroleum, which is then chemically enhanced with additives.
Yes, there are several alternative fuels that are less carbon-intensive. Renewable natural gas (RNG), for example, yields fewer GHG emissions than fossil natural gas. Natural gas can also be used to replace gasoline in smaller applications, resulting in reduced hydrocarbon, CO, NOx, and GHG emissions. In addition, researchers are working on developing systems that can convert carbon dioxide into fuel.
