[Petrochemicals (OP)]

I personally like the idea of petrol vehicles as they are quick to refuel, do not require pressurised vessels to contain it the fuel, are reasonably lightweight and cheap at the point of purchase, and if you live in America or some such place the fuel is also nice and cheep! So can we make our own fuel? I just do not feel electric cars are a viable alternative at present.

I have seen numerous ideas for this, from producing hydrocarbons from thin air through CO2 filtering, CO2 emmissions capture to using biowaste as a feedstock.

[paul cotter]

Making fuel from co2 is entirely possible but it consumes a LOT of energy, energy that could be put to better use. Biowaste is a more reasonable source although the feedstock is limited in quantity. I too am fond of petrol(gasoline) power and the big problem with EVs is that if you run the battery down you need to have your vehicle recovered while an ice powered one just need a can of fuel to get back on the road.

[myuncle]

I see a lot of people buying those cheap diesel heaters.They make yes a lot heat, but you need a vent. Not very civilized, but how can you blame them. The energy companies on the other hand are just middlemen, they have never made/installed a single solar panel or wind turbine in their entire life.

[Petrochemicals (OP)]

I see a lot of people buying those cheap diesel heaters.They make yes a lot heat, but you need a vent. Not very civilized, but how can you blame them. The energy companies on the other hand are just middlemen, they have never made/installed a single solar panel or wind turbine in their entire life.

I shall inform you that many motorhome and caravan heaters are diesil, not gas, usually higher end stuff. For really stinky try the waste oil burner and pour in the used engine oil, sometimes employed in car repair garages, but now illegal to use the waste oil I believe.

[Petrochemicals (OP)]

Making fuel from co2 is entirely possible but it consumes a LOT of energy, energy that could be put to better use. Biowaste is a more reasonable source although the feedstock is limited in quantity. I too am fond of petrol(gasoline) power and the big problem with EVs is that if you run the battery down you need to have your vehicle recovered while an ice powered one just need a can of fuel to get back on the road.

It is a good way of storing energy though Paul, maybe we could start pumping hydrocarbons back into the ground.

[Bored chemist]

but you need a vent.

So what?
Places where people live need a vent.

[Bored chemist]

It is a good way of storing energy

Not really.
There's probably a case for using hydrocarbons for planes where weight is really important.

[Bored chemist]

I shall inform you that many motorhome and caravan heaters are diesil, not gas,

That's a fairly pointless thing to tell someone who was talking about ..

I see a lot of people buying those cheap diesel heaters.

The only difference seems to be that you didn't spell it correctly.

[myuncle]

but you need a vent.

So what?
Places where people live need a vent.

I know, I am saying that, because my landlord doesn't allow me (like most landlords) to make any modifications on the wall. They allow me only to use elctricity, no gas, no diesel, no wood, no fire.

[vhfpmr]

Biowaste is a more reasonable source although the feedstock is limited in quantity.

The problem with fuel from biowaste is that it's dependent on waste for its supply of raw material, and the economics depend on someone writing off the cost when the food is thrown away. Without that write-off, it's about ten times more expensive than petrol, even with 100% conversion efficiency.

I can see the headlines now:
"Waste more food before fuel runs out"