Sibbo comments on Researchers turn sunlight and CO2 into living biomass

[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 7 points 5 months ago (3 children)

I get the tree jokes, but I think the idea here is that the output is in an easily-processsble form such that you just pipe it into a bioreactor or refinery and make ethanol or some fossil-fuel replacement.

And I guess these could be deployed on the ocean?

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[–] harambe69@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 5 months ago

We already had that. It's called algae.

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[–] Hirom@beehaw.org 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 child)

Why produce ethanol?

Producing and burning ethanol in internal combustion engines is more polluting, less efficient than using electric vehicles. So this can't be it.

Producing and burning ethanol for heat is more polluting, less efficient than heat pumps or solar thermal energy. So that's not it either.

The article mention chemical industry and:

[..] building blocks for products ranging from fertilizers to plastics

This leaves fertilizers and plastics. So this would have to compete with other ways to produce fertilizers, plastic and plastic alternatives (cardboard packaging, wood, glass...)

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[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 1 point 5 months ago

I didn't think deeply about this. At least airplanes are still most efficient with kerosine-like fuel. But making plastics would be super important, because it's such a powerful material.

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