james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2012-10-19 08:13 am

Interesting if true: fuel from air


A British firm based on Teeside says it's designed revolutionary new technology that can produce petrol using air and water.


Seriously, BBC? "It's" for possessive it? Never snark before coffee.

Presumably there's some kind of energy source, assuming they have not gone the heart of a forsaken child route. Also

Air Fuel Synthesis in Stockton-on-Tees has produced 5 litres of petrol since August, but hopes to be in production by 2015 making synthetic fuel targeted at the motor sports sector.


it's not quite ready for prime time.

This is a way of moving energy from energy rich regions to energy poor ones.

(usual bbc & technology disclaimer: they still do puff pieces on Moller)

[identity profile] scentofviolets.livejournal.com 2012-10-20 03:21 pm (UTC)(link)
This seems a rather contrived what if to justify on-site synthesis. If you want to go that route, why not simply increase the fuel tankage volume on the carrier?

I see way too much of this - proposals to mount nuclear reactors planes, trains and automobiles when the pragmatic solution is simply to have them tucked away somewhere else manufacturing fuel or electricity as needed.

Now if you could have nuclear reactors synthesizing N60 for jet fuel . . .