Did you know we can make gasoline out of coal?

Question

The technology existed for over a half century! It's called the Fischer-Tropsch process. It was first used by Nazi Germany to fill their war machine since the rest world cut them off. They made 90 million tonnes of fuel like this in 1944 alone. The United States has the world's largest coal reserves. My question is: if we could free ourselves from dependence on arab oil by doing this, why aren't coal liquification plants popping up all over the country??

They just started doing it it China..it costs around 20 dollars a barrel to make. Oil was over 70 dollars a barrel over the last two summers. So don't tell me it costs too much.

Answer 1

There are several major companies that do this. The largest is Sasol in South Africa, and here in the states we have Rentek. Both these companies already do just what you suggest. Unfortunately there are quite a few problems with the Fischer-Tropsch process. There are many contaminants in coal that are difficult (expensive) to remove. The other problem is that the process releases about 2 times more CO2 into the atmosphere than ordinary oil.

Neocraker is wrong. Presently it costs about $40/barrel to produce oil using the Fischer-Tropsch process. It is now cheaper to produce oil using this process than getting it from the ME. The energy reserves of coal in the USA are larger than the energy reserves of oil in the Middle East.

The person advocating hemp oil should really stop smoking the funky stuff. Hemp oil is no more efficient than using corn or other crops for ethanol, and that is a dissater in the making.

Answer 2

As some have said, it still isn't that economical. And the technology still isn't very environmentally friendly, no matter what the coal mining industry says. Finally, and most importantly: NIMBY. Not-In-My-Back-Yard. This is when conservatives screaming for more refineries refused to allow them near their neighborhoods, and liberals screaming for wind power don't allow wind towers in their ocean view. Kinda shows you how dishonest both sides really are.

Answer 3

Cus its greed an power.

You can make a cleaner burning fuel from hemp seed, an prohibitions a joke, whats the declaration of independance written on? hemp paper!!!

You can also make industrial lubricant, a gore tex, spin it fine as silk or course like hemp sacks, sails from Gaul that the Romans used, a breathable building block, isochanvre concrete in France, 1/7 the weight an ten times the tensile strength, I'd go on but who's listening?

The Saudi's have over a trillion dollars in the U.S. economy its all about the money.

Answer 4

Yes, I have long known that. South Africa made gasoline from coal during the international embargo. It is expensive, capital intensive & has a long lead time. We (the US) have gone into synfuels several times when energy prices jumped only to abandon them when prices came down. We are not a patient people.

Answer 5

Its costs money to do this, so the gasoline's price would be too expensive. If the whole rest of the world embargoed us, we could still make all the gas we needed , we'd just have to pay alot more for it.

Answer 6

If you see Bush engaged in public displays of man-on-man love with representatives of the coal industry, expect those coal liquification plants to start popping up.

Until then, expect to continue being sodomized by Bush's man-love pals the Saudis.

http://www.wonkette.com/politics/white-house/bush-puts-the-squeeze-on-saudi-prince-100952.php

Answer 7

This is and old invention as you say. Everyone says we have plenty of coal, but the oil politicians well never let it happen....Unless,,,,they own some of the coal rights.

Answer 8

You forget the politicians get too much from the oil companies to promote the changeover.

Answer 9

Yeah, we could also build a huge wall around the North Poll and Antartica to prevent global flooding.

Answer 10

It's expensive. I worked at Oak Ridge National Labs on it in the 80's and it can't be made economically.