Being able to effectively develop a liquid fuel for usage in combustion engines utilizing primarily solar power that can reduce overall CO2 emissions and help reverse the greenhouse effect is currently a project that is not only possible but is being undergone in many areas today with devices first designed to be used with high CO2 producing factory smokestacks and later meant to draw out excess CO2 from the air for fuel production. Utilizing both primarily CO2 and water this process effectively generates a liquid fuel known as “Syngas” that, although it may generate an amount of CO2 while being consumed, reduces the overall CO2 emission level during its creation process.

The actual generation stage of Syngas utilizes at its basic stage a two-chambered device with rotating rings of cerium oxide and a parabolic mirror capable of heating the inner chamber of the device to approximately 1500 degrees. This heating process releases oxygen from the cerium oxide that, following the rotation of the rings, travels into an outer cooling chamber that combines with carbon dioxide to form additional cerium oxide and carbon monoxide. In a similar way water is processed into the system, though instead of combining the oxygen with CO2 the introduction of water causes steam and hydrogen to be produced. Finally, a third process involving zinc in the chamber that also combines relative flows of CO2, steam and zinc in a heated chamber cause both the byproducts of the synthetic fuel “Syngas” to form alongside zinc oxide.

This process and its byproducts, while not necessarily a “green” alternative to many fuels in the sense that it does not eliminate the need for CO2 production, creates a carbon neutral product wherein all carbon emissions generated from the consumption of Syngas are neutralized through the harvesting of CO2 in the production stages. This is seen as a much better process by many than the usage of some biomass for alternative fuel usage as excess biological consumption can easily offset any benefits gained through biomass harvesting – a major drawback that has been keeping biofuels from taking off in many areas. Additionally the ability to essentially “scrub” high CO2 output areas in order to limit the amount of gases released into the atmosphere can mean a major benefit to some areas in terms of cleaner air in addition to the fuel itself, meaning a win-win scenario for all parties involved.

•