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Researchers successfully convert methane gas into liquid methanol

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Re: Researchers successfully convert methane gas into liquid methanol

#41
post #22

This is just greenwashing so long as the source of Methane is from fossil fuels. This article is doing a lot of work to cover up this fact. The article says, "Despite the fact that natural gas is a fossil fuel, its conversion into methanol produces less carbon dioxide (CO2) than other liquid fuels in the same category." Before we get into "other liquid fuels", if it comes from the ground it's dirty. We have to be 100…

Biomethane is a large source of energy. Currently in Germany more electricity is produced from it than from fossile methane. https://www.energy-charts.info/charts/energy/chart.htm?l=en&...

Re: Researchers successfully convert methane gas into liquid methanol

#42

If we crack fusion, or use other renewable energy systems, technologies such as these will make chemical fuels into a closed loop industry. We have a bright future ahead, gents

Or our entire civilization will collapse into famine and war because we refused to transition off of fossil fuels in time. That methane needs to stay in the ground.

Re: Researchers successfully convert methane gas into liquid methanol

#43

> Our success in obtaining methanol under mild conditions, while also expending less energy, is a major step forward. The energy it took to produce the liquid methanol was higher than what the output can produce. Spending 2 liter of fuel to recover 1 liter of fuel. Well.. you do the maths. Good to see progress though!

You have excess of said fuel in the first place. It's better to sell 1/2 of your stock than flare all of it.

Re: Researchers successfully convert methane gas into liquid methanol

#44

> Our success in obtaining methanol under mild conditions, while also expending less energy, is a major step forward. The energy it took to produce the liquid methanol was higher than what the output can produce. Spending 2 liter of fuel to recover 1 liter of fuel. Well.. you do the maths. Good to see progress though!

That's pretty much standard with chemistry. Have fun trying to violate thermodynamics.

I'm saying this will only become viable when the energy being put into the conversion to methanol (not creation of methane), is lower than the energy stored in the methanol. That does not violate thermodynamics.

Re: Researchers successfully convert methane gas into liquid methanol

#45

> Our success in obtaining methanol under mild conditions, while also expending less energy, is a major step forward. The energy it took to produce the liquid methanol was higher than what the output can produce. Spending 2 liter of fuel to recover 1 liter of fuel. Well.. you do the maths. Good to see progress though!

[deleted]

Re: Researchers successfully convert methane gas into liquid methanol

#46
post #43

> Our success in obtaining methanol under mild conditions, while also expending less energy, is a major step forward. The energy it took to produce the liquid methanol was higher than what the output can produce. Spending 2 liter of fuel to recover 1 liter of fuel. Well.. you do the maths. Good to see progress though!

You have excess of said fuel in the first place. It's better to sell 1/2 of your stock than flare all of it.

Not if it costs more fuel to capture it than you would gain.
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