Scientists Discover How to Convert CO2 into Powder That Can Be Stored for Decades (solar panels, toxic)

[cdnirene]

“A team of scientists has figured out how to convert planet-warming carbon dioxide into a harmless powdery fuel that could be converted into clean electricity”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...d-for-decades/

Discussions with commercial companies interested in the process have begun.

[Ruth4Truth]

"a harmless powdery fuel"? That would produce "clean energy"? From CO2? Are you trying to sell us a bridge in Brooklyn?

[stephenMM]

At this time, this idea is mostly just that, an idea. Even making it work in a lab is basically just as idea because until its scaled up to size, no one knows if it would be economically feasible. I think they're talking about using a method to convert CO2 to ethanol, but that cannot be burned w/o producing other harmful emissions. Plants are very good at using CO2 for energy, but you can't run your car w/ a daffodil under its hood.

There is no such thing as totally clean energy production. Even solar means having to make some seriously toxic manufacturing processes to create the solar panels and batteries. The closest thing to totally clean energy production is using wind or water to turn a generator that produces electricity. But you still need something like a battery to store the energy for times when there is no wind. Using water to turn turbines that create electricity is very efficient, but not everybody lives next to a stream.