Long-term solution to fossil fuel depletion

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:5167324

Klass, D L

Based on our present knowledge, the only long-term practical solution to sustaining a national economy on organic fuels is to convert a major source of continuously renewable nonfossil carbon to synfuels that are interchangeable with, or can be substituted for, natural gas and petroleum-derived fuels. The most promising source of this carbon is land- and water-based biomass produced from solar energy by photosynthesis. An assessment of this concept is presented in this paper, and the major problems encountered in the development of the technology are reviewed. The technology for biomass production and conversion is sufficiently advanced so that breakthroughs and discoveries of a fundamental nature are not required. Both gaseous and liquid synfuels are capable of production from biomass. Special emphasis is given to the importance of system design, biomass production, biomass conversion to synfuels, economics, and energetics. A concept for the Net Energy Production Ratio of fully integrated synfuel systems is also presented. After suitable development, the commercialization of a synfuel industry using low-cash-value, high-fuel-value biomass raw materials will probably be economically attractive. It is essential to start a full-scale development program now so that the technology is ready for use before fossil fuel depletion causes greater energy supply problems.

• Research Organization: Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5167324
• Report Number(s): CONF-750156-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
BIOCONVERSION
BIOMASS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DECOMPOSITION
DIGESTION
ECONOMICS
ENERGY ANALYSIS
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
ETHANOL
FERMENTATION
FLUIDS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MANURES
MEETINGS
METHANE
NET ENERGY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
PYROLYSIS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SOLID WASTES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES