Methane having the chemical formula CH4 has a Hydrogen : Carbon Ratio of 2 : 1. Therefore 56% of its energy content is carried by Hydrogen molecules and 44% only by its Carbon backbone. It can be burned at over 2 times the Carbon Efficiency than Stone Age Man’s fuel – biomass. But still, burning discards the Hydrogen carrying Carbon backbone as if it were a one-way package only.
If all we need is heat that could not be collected from the sun, geothermally or by recovery from energy transformation losses, we might have to burn Methane, whether fossil or man-made from accelerated decomposition and reformation of carbonaceous feedstock or Power to Gas synthesis and make sure we use such energy in context with good thermal efficiency throughout the application.
Due to Methane advantageous Hydrogen : Carbon Ratio of 2 : 1 it is an ideal feedstock for transformation into chemical synthesis gas to produce other hydrocarbon formations – e.g. clean fuels, organic acids, plastics, alcohols, solvents, etc. Chemical synthesis gas is two Hydrogen- per one Carbon monoxide –molecules. It delivers all mentioned products under different catalyst – temperature – pressure regime combinations.
For power generation accounting for 40% of Natural Gas consumption today, the Hydrogen content only could deliver in a one-step electrochemical transformation the same amount of electricity today’s 3-step transformation practice of -> heating steam for -> motion power to propel -> generators does (whereas any heat losses can be used for combined heat and power either case). So actually, depending on the Carbon Efficiency of the methane-splitting into Hydrogen- and storable Carbon molecules, Natural Gas could deliver Zero Emission Electricity!
Carbotopia™ stands for applying methane-splitting based on Physical Carbon Capture for Use [CCU] releasing Hydrogen from Methane by producing storable, graphene like Carbon at 90% energy efficiency. Such Carbon can be used in lieu of fossil carbon to refine substitute gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon commodities or as a natural graphite, as well as functional composite filler material or active carbon filter raw material at arms’ length market values of U$ 0.5-1.5 per m³ Natural Gas. NO, it is not a mistake – it is 7-20 times the nymex-price of Natural Gas today’s Natural Gas based power generation blows in the air!
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