This sounds way too good to be true: UK-based Cella Energy has developed a synthetic fuel that could lead to US$1.50 per gallon gasoline. Apart from promising a future transportation fuel with a stable price regardless of oil prices, the fuel is hydrogen based and produces no carbon emissions when burned. The technology is based on complex hydrides, and has been developed over a four year top secret program at the prestigious Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford. Early indications are that the fuel can be used in existing internal combustion engined vehicles without engine modification. According to Stephen Voller CEO at Cella Energy, the technology was developed using advanced materials science, taking high energy materials and encapsulating them using a nanostructuring technique called coaxial electrospraying. Breakthrough promises $1.50 per gallon synthetic gasoline Global game changer? It is strange that no major, respected media source has picked up on this. While there are a fair number of 'Net stories, they all refer back to this story. Maybe it's time to break out this handy tool... just in case: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8PyQpLr-Q0&feature=related"]YouTube - Bullshit[/ame]
All I see is a collection of claptrap materials processing jargon, meant to attract investors. Not a single hint about any energy source.
Whoo Hoo! I like the fact that they use identical terminology used to describe Oil of Olay.... Well all this "Hybrid" stuff has been fun....but with Gas of Olay...I think I can afford to drive that small bus sized SUV...so it's off to the car lots!
My concern is they didn't go into enough specifics at this point. If they can reliably create this, over 4 years, shouldn't they have patented it by now so that they can provide specifics? I've also heard that "complex hydrides" are pretty expensive and you still have to get the hydrogen produced from somewhere. I hold out a sliver of hope that they managed some new break through, but I have a feeling that in the end, the cost involved will be no where near $1.50/gal. That being said, as long as they can produce it without subsidies and its cost isn't higher than the current price of gasoline, then I'm all for supplies that can reduce the use of oil-based fuels!
Yes, this I think is the key point that was overlooked in the report. Basically what they are talking about is a hydrogen storage technology. People have been working on better ways to store hydrogen for a long time and this is one of the options. If they've made a breakthrough in hydrogen storage then that's really good, but you cant overlook the costs of making the hydrogen in the first place. Particularly if you want to make the hydrogen without the use of fossil fuels (eg electrolysis) as that's generally more costly.
The BIG OIL lobby will shut this down in no time. I'm glad to see hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and EVs (Nissan Leaf and others) succeeding.
Why? It's hydrogen, the fuel of the future! The most abundant element in the universe! No emissions! (Completely disregard the nasty rumour you may have heard that hydrogen is less efficient. Those silly elitists actually think creating hydrogen uses more fossil fuel than burning gasoline! Trust us. We're your friendly big oil corporation, trying to preserve your future, and protect your way of life!)
Their website at Cella Energy - Home is a lot less sensational. They seem to have a promising technology, but putting an end consumer price on its use as a gasoline replacement is premature. I don't really understand who made the $1.50/gallon claim. It doesn't look like it's Cella Energy. Maybe this is just a stock market manipulation.
I'm still waiting for the car powered by butterfly farts. It will be here at the same time. There is a well developed and publicly demonstrated system that doesn't violate any laws of thermodynamics interim system that can be built now. You can run a car on dried used male bovine food. A few fast facts about wood-burning cars — Autoblog Green
