Powering the Future with Liquid Sunshine
Source abstract
Abstract
Summary In 2017, global CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels reached 33 gigatons, twice the natural rate at which CO2 is absorbed back into land and ocean sinks. Harnessing solar radiation holds the answer to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. It is the most abundant energy resource and could meet humans' future energy needs. The efficient conversion of solar radiation into stable, energy-dense liquid energy carriers that can use existing or adapt global supply chains for storage, shipping, and distribution is the key to large-scale deployment of solar energy at gigaton levels. Liquid sunshine is the vision of combining the sun's energy with carbon dioxide and water to produce green liquid fuels. CO2 released on using these fuels is recycled back into the environment, thus maintaining an ecologically balanced cycle. Multi-source and multi-purpose alcohols are optimal candidate fuels. Methanol and ethanol are actionable first targets with gigaton production potential.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts · Atmospheric Ozone and Climate · Mind wandering and attention
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
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