Fundamental scientific research lies at the heart of many energy-related breakthroughs that ultimately disrupt established social and economic systems. It can be overwhelming to look at the world’s looming energy and climate challenges, but Dr. Franklin (Lynn) Orr, Under Secretary for Science and Energy at the US Department of Energy remains optimistic despite the complexity… Keep reading →
Converting natural gas to liquid fuels using Fischer-Tropsch conversion is not a new idea but it has always been a big one, meaning it has always required very large and expensive production facilities. Royal Dutch Shell and South Africa’s Sasol have been the industry leaders in Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) for decades but their existing GTL plants… Keep reading →
One of the biggest hurdles biofuels need to overcome is replicating the energy density of liquid transport fuels at lower cost. It’s been said that a scientist will never say something is impossible given unlimited funding. Unfortunately, the most brilliant theoretical energy innovations remain confined by economic realities. Breaking Energy recently covered the potential for… Keep reading →
Only Saudis & Russians pump more oil According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), US will surpass Russia in total production of liquid fuels in 3rd Qtr. 2013 – that includes crude oil plus biofuels like ethanol. Moreover, US is now the third largest crude oil producer behind Saudi Arabia and barely trailing Russia. Saudi… Keep reading →
