Latest Updates: fossil fuels RSS

• Green Fuel From Coal
  Srikant Rajan 07:34:00 am on August 9, 2008 | 0 | # |
  Tags: carbon impact, clean fuels, fossil fuels, hydrocarbons, rentech, synthetic fuels

  Renetech has successfully produced synthetic fuels at its Product Demonstration Unit (PDU) in Commerce City, Colorado, which is the only facility in US producing transportation fuels.This facility employs a process that uses carbon bearing sources to produce synthesis gas.This gas is further processed into hydrocarbons which are further refined to produce “ clean “ synthetic fuels.Such  fuels provide a high combustion efficiency than petroleum derived fuels and are “ comparatively “ cleaner ( non polluting)

  This process provides a unique opportunity of tapping into US abundant coal reserves .The synthetic fuels obtained would be definitely preferred to conventional fossil fuel derived fuels , on account of their low carbon impact.However the entire process of producing these fuels would no doubt have a signification carbon footprint.Additionally Renetech’s claim of such fuels having a negative carbon impact needs to be further backed up by rigorous and conclusive research results.

   

• Biofuel From Wood
  Srikant Rajan 08:40:40 am on July 13, 2008 | 0 | # |
  Tags: biofuel, European Union, finland, fossil fuels, Neste oil, Stora Enso, VTT, wood residues

  Stora Enso a Finnish  paper and and timber producer has joined hands with Neste Oil Corporation to set up a plant that will utilize wood based residues to produce biofuel. The demonstration plant will be owned on a twin sharing basis and is expected to be functional by the year 2008. VTT, Technical Research Center of Finland will also provide technical expertise for setting up of the processing plant. This plant would cost EUR 14 million  and would be later integrated with existing energy infrastructure and would be capable of powering an estimated 4000 households.

  There has been a lot of  research to produce high quality biofuel from a variety of sources such as animal fat,residual grease from restaurants,and even garbage. The ambitious target set by EU of replacing 18 million tonnes of fossil fuels used for transportation by 2010 is a major act fueling this research . (simply put there isn’t enough land for growing biofuel crops such as jatropha )

   

• More Oil Drilling Not To Lower Prices
  Srikant Rajan 03:54:01 am on July 2, 2008 | 1 | # |
  Tags: alternative energy, anwr, arctic national wildlife reserve, fossil fuels, offshore drilling, oil prices

  A study by the US Energy Information and Association(EIA) has revealed that extended offshore drilling would not translate into lower oil and gas prices.The report says that regions in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)has a sizeable quantity of oil and gas resources. The OCS region deposits can be technically extracted but the entire process of building additional facilities for the extraction would need a significant investment of time and effort.Hence the price benefit of additional resources would be offset by the long gestation period.Or in other words the much publicized ANWR project would not lead to lower gas prices despite a substantial investment of tax dollars.

  Bush ,Mc Cain and Republicans have repeatedly favored oil extraction and fossil fuels to address the energy challenge.I have highlighted that increased oil and gas resources can best buy us some more time (and even that time looks too long and costly to attain!) to develop an alternative energy plan and execute it.This report should prompt the Republicans to rethink their energy plans for the future.