Is Artificial Photosynthesis the ultimate renewable fuel ... ?

[MindMover]

http://solarfuelshub.org/

[tech3149]

1. I don't see any reason why not

The biggest problem we face, as a species, is our arrogance in thinking we can do better than natural systems.
There are quite a few out there, more every day, trying to learn from nature. The world got along fine without us for millions of years. I expect it will do just as well after we're gone.

[cprise]

2. This time its different

If we do ourselves in, then we might take as much as 90% of the biosphere down with us.

[MrMickeysMom]

3. National initiatives should pair with state and local governments to cost this ASAP...

Anyone been watching "Cosmos" with Neil DeGrassie Tyson? He just presented photosynthesis in this week's segment, and it's TOTALLY the energy system that's been used by nature. There are secrets to be unlocked and that is EXACTLY what this initiative is trying to do.

We should push this with exceeding vigor, to make the Atom Bomb teams during WWII look like old farts in walkers. We should be tripping over each other to acquire anything to bring this early phase of technology to a working prototype.

K&R

[greyl]

5. Neil deGrasse Tyson nt

[shanemcg]

6. It says it's connected to the DOE

If it's our tax dollars paying for this research I hope we all benefit from it, not just switch from paying oil companies to live to paying other energy companies to live.

Like the scientist said, having these in place around the world to supply power could change the world and it can. It can also make the world stay just the same, just not as much pollution and other people raking in all the money.

[MrMickeysMom]

8. Good grief...

The use of natural resources renewables benefit everyone without the pollution…. Hello.

One of the benefits of the public funding research is the benefit of that research. Are you saying that the development of the product based on the science shouldn't be paid for, or are you saying, "don't get greedy with a renewable resource?

Greed is not good with any natural resource. The survival of the globe is the only thing at stake here. Wait a minute….

[shanemcg]

9. Yes, we have a pollution problem

But in my opinion we have an even bigger one with people being forced to work away their whole lives just to survive.

Since we are allowed a certain amount of time without being controlled every day (unless you count surveillance and drug testing!) I guess technically it's not slavery.

[MrMickeysMom]

10. We have more than a "pollution problem"...

… or have you not seen what is still occurring by the oil and gas industry?

What constitutes a renewable energy source as forcing people to "work away their whole lives just to survive"?

1) So called fossil fuels have severely peaked and the diminishing industries are harming ground water, disruption of human endocrine systems by what gets into ground water and air quality, which causes people to suffer long term effects of a dying industry?

2) Renewable energy resources allow cost of running buildings to live and work in, and increase the quality of all things made bad under #1.

Do yourself a favor and do your own research on these things, don't just trust me. You may see a glimmer of hope. You sound like you might have low expectations for what the the majority of humans may have before them. That's an enslaving thought unto itself.

[KurtNYC]

4. We are still pretending that we don't have alternatives.

Solar is cheaper than ever and many other countries are adopting it quickly but progress in the US is slow.

JCAP uses manganese and manganese is unstable. There are other challenges that put estimates for deploying AP to 10 years or more. Meanwhile solar panels offer generating capacity at 64-cents per watt RIGHT NOW.

The ship is sinking -- this is not the time to wait or to burn the clock while we develop a fancier lifeboat. Deploy solar now.

[Nictuku]

7. K&R This is fabulous.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

11. Good idea, as they're right that not everything can be run off electricity.

If they can generate fuel via solar power and recycle CO2 as part of the process, that would be just about as close to perfect as you can get.

[Gore1FL]

12. I wonder how well this sequesters CO2 in the process.

Two synergistic birds, one stone.