skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Reimagining liquid transportation fuels : sunshine to petrol.

Abstract

Two of the most daunting problems facing humankind in the twenty-first century are energy security and climate change. This report summarizes work accomplished towards addressing these problems through the execution of a Grand Challenge LDRD project (FY09-11). The vision of Sunshine to Petrol is captured in one deceptively simple chemical equation: Solar Energy + xCO{sub 2} + (x+1)H{sub 2}O {yields} C{sub x}H{sub 2x+2}(liquid fuel) + (1.5x+.5)O{sub 2} Practical implementation of this equation may seem far-fetched, since it effectively describes the use of solar energy to reverse combustion. However, it is also representative of the photosynthetic processes responsible for much of life on earth and, as such, summarizes the biomass approach to fuels production. It is our contention that an alternative approach, one that is not limited by efficiency of photosynthesis and more directly leads to a liquid fuel, is desirable. The development of a process that efficiently, cost effectively, and sustainably reenergizes thermodynamically spent feedstocks to create reactive fuel intermediates would be an unparalleled achievement and is the key challenge that must be surmounted to solve the intertwined problems of accelerating energy demand and climate change. We proposed that the direct thermochemical conversion of CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O tomore » CO and H{sub 2}, which are the universal building blocks for synthetic fuels, serve as the basis for this revolutionary process. To realize this concept, we addressed complex chemical, materials science, and engineering problems associated with thermochemical heat engines and the crucial metal-oxide working-materials deployed therein. By project's end, we had demonstrated solar-driven conversion of CO{sub 2} to CO, a key energetic synthetic fuel intermediate, at 1.7% efficiency.« less

Authors:
 [1]; ;  [1]; ;  [1]; ; ; ;  [1]; ; ; ; ; ;
  1. Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1035344
Report Number(s):
SAND2012-0307
TRN: US201205%%96
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
09 BIOMASS FUELS; 10 SYNTHETIC FUELS; 14 SOLAR ENERGY; BIOMASS; CLIMATES; EFFICIENCY; ENERGY DEMAND; ENERGY SECURITY; HEAT ENGINES; IMPLEMENTATION; LIQUID FUELS; PHOTOSYNTHESIS; PRODUCTION; REVERSE COMBUSTION; SOLAR ENERGY; SYNTHETIC FUELS

Citation Formats

Johnson, Terry Alan, Hogan, Jr, Roy E, McDaniel, Anthony H, Siegel, Nathan Phillip, Dedrick, Daniel E, Stechel, Ellen Beth, Diver, Jr, Richard B, Miller, James Edward, Allendorf, Mark D, Ambrosini, Andrea, Coker, Eric Nicholas, Staiger, Chad Lynn, Chen, Ken Shuang, Ermanoski, Ivan, and Kellog, Gary L. Reimagining liquid transportation fuels : sunshine to petrol.. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.2172/1035344.
Johnson, Terry Alan, Hogan, Jr, Roy E, McDaniel, Anthony H, Siegel, Nathan Phillip, Dedrick, Daniel E, Stechel, Ellen Beth, Diver, Jr, Richard B, Miller, James Edward, Allendorf, Mark D, Ambrosini, Andrea, Coker, Eric Nicholas, Staiger, Chad Lynn, Chen, Ken Shuang, Ermanoski, Ivan, & Kellog, Gary L. Reimagining liquid transportation fuels : sunshine to petrol.. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1035344
Johnson, Terry Alan, Hogan, Jr, Roy E, McDaniel, Anthony H, Siegel, Nathan Phillip, Dedrick, Daniel E, Stechel, Ellen Beth, Diver, Jr, Richard B, Miller, James Edward, Allendorf, Mark D, Ambrosini, Andrea, Coker, Eric Nicholas, Staiger, Chad Lynn, Chen, Ken Shuang, Ermanoski, Ivan, and Kellog, Gary L. 2012. "Reimagining liquid transportation fuels : sunshine to petrol.". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1035344. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1035344.
@article{osti_1035344,
title = {Reimagining liquid transportation fuels : sunshine to petrol.},
author = {Johnson, Terry Alan and Hogan, Jr, Roy E and McDaniel, Anthony H and Siegel, Nathan Phillip and Dedrick, Daniel E and Stechel, Ellen Beth and Diver, Jr, Richard B and Miller, James Edward and Allendorf, Mark D and Ambrosini, Andrea and Coker, Eric Nicholas and Staiger, Chad Lynn and Chen, Ken Shuang and Ermanoski, Ivan and Kellog, Gary L},
abstractNote = {Two of the most daunting problems facing humankind in the twenty-first century are energy security and climate change. This report summarizes work accomplished towards addressing these problems through the execution of a Grand Challenge LDRD project (FY09-11). The vision of Sunshine to Petrol is captured in one deceptively simple chemical equation: Solar Energy + xCO{sub 2} + (x+1)H{sub 2}O {yields} C{sub x}H{sub 2x+2}(liquid fuel) + (1.5x+.5)O{sub 2} Practical implementation of this equation may seem far-fetched, since it effectively describes the use of solar energy to reverse combustion. However, it is also representative of the photosynthetic processes responsible for much of life on earth and, as such, summarizes the biomass approach to fuels production. It is our contention that an alternative approach, one that is not limited by efficiency of photosynthesis and more directly leads to a liquid fuel, is desirable. The development of a process that efficiently, cost effectively, and sustainably reenergizes thermodynamically spent feedstocks to create reactive fuel intermediates would be an unparalleled achievement and is the key challenge that must be surmounted to solve the intertwined problems of accelerating energy demand and climate change. We proposed that the direct thermochemical conversion of CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O to CO and H{sub 2}, which are the universal building blocks for synthetic fuels, serve as the basis for this revolutionary process. To realize this concept, we addressed complex chemical, materials science, and engineering problems associated with thermochemical heat engines and the crucial metal-oxide working-materials deployed therein. By project's end, we had demonstrated solar-driven conversion of CO{sub 2} to CO, a key energetic synthetic fuel intermediate, at 1.7% efficiency.},
doi = {10.2172/1035344},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1035344}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012}
}