I realize this utilization of the focus fusion device may be a ways off into the future (or is it?). But it may be possible in the future to use cheap, plentiful electric power from the DPF to synthesize methanol, gasoline, plastics, fertilizers, and etc. from seawater.

    In fact, a company out there has done already figured-out the technology and chemistry involved in extracting CO2 and H2 from seawater to make synthetic hydrocarbons. This is much easier to do than to extract CO2 from the atmosphere because the concentration of carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans is about 60 times greater than in the air.

    But one of their ideas involves getting electricity from windpower to do this. I don’t see how the economics of this could ever work, considering the enormous cost of building the amount of windmills it would take to produce enough synthetic fuel for the entire transportation sector. Not to mention the losses even the most efficient cars would have converting the chemical energy of windpower back into locomotive power.

    And then there are those who have also considered the idea of placing windplants on old offshore oil platforms no longer being used. The reason being is that the wind blows much stronger offshore. But once again, I consider this poor use (a waste) of old offshore oil platforms…... due to the low energy density of wind power.

    In the future, why can’t the DPF be placed on old offshore oil platforms no longer in use? After all, it should only occupy the space of a 2-car garage and produce cheap, unlimited, inexpensive energy of higher energy density than any windplant. This would make better and more efficient use of offshore oil platforms.

    After many years of research and development, electric storage batteries for electric cars still do not have the energy density and convenience of liquid fuel that allows quick refilling of a gas tank. So that while there will be some losses converting electricity into chemical fuels derived from seawater, the commercial value of the resulting liquid chemical fuel will be much greater…... for powering the transportation sector.

    Here recently, there have been advances in improved fuel cells that use methanol. The methanol could be economically produced from CO2 and H2 derived from seawater by the utilization of fusion focus devices installed on offshore platforms. Furthermore, if you replace the internal combustion engine and wasteful transmission of a conventional automobile…...and run electric power directly from a methanol fuel cell to an electric motor attached to the wheels…...the original energy of the focus fusion device could be converted back into motive power quite efficiently. I believe such an infrastructure for the transportation sector may be possible in the future.

1. In tomorrows grossly expensive energy economy your could make a profit making energy out of just about anything
2. The goal is not to replace all oil just to make a profit, synthetic oil made from solar or wind power desalination plants with attach hydrogenate gasification plants could be profitable in todays $100+ per barrel prices.
3. If it profitable it will expanded, someday it might actually be so big as to represent most of our energy consumption.
4. I would put my bets on EV and PHEV over the inefficiency of making synthetic fuels to power grossly inefficient conventional engines, the future for sythetic oil is what batteries and hydrogen cannot replace: jet fuel, plastics, composites, pharmaceuticals, ect.
5. If cheap aneutronic fusion becomes a reality kiss all other energy sources good bye, it will become the power source for everything, electricity, sythetic fuel manufacturing, waste recycling, desalination, everything, and will change the world even at a rate cheap printable solar power could never even dream of.

You said:

I would put my bets on EV and PHEV over the inefficiency of making synthetic fuels to power grossly inefficient internal combustion engines.

I hate how closed-minded this extremely conservative American society is these days. What really annoys me the most is those who don’t even read ALL of my posts…...so that I always have to keep on repeating myself like a broken record. Here is some of what I posted:

After many years of research and development, electric storage batteries for electric cars still do not have the energy density and convenience of liquid fuel that allows quick refilling of a   gas tank.

And also:

So that while there will be some losses converting electricity into chemical fuels derived from seawater, the commercial value of the resulting liquid chemical fuel will be much greater.

More of my quotes on efficiency:

Here recently, there have been advances in improved fuel cells that use methanol.

And also:

Furthermore, if you replace the internal combustion engine and wasteful transmission of a conventional automobile…...and run electric power directly from a methanol fuel cell to an electric motor attached to the wheels…...the original energy of the focus fusion device could be converted back into motive power quite efficiently.

And about not using old abandoned offshore oil platforms for the most efficient purpose, you said:

1. In tomorrows grossly expensive energy economy you could make a profit making energy out of just about anything.

2. The goal is not to replace oil just to make a profit, synthetic oil made from solar or wind power plants…...

5. If cheap aneutronic fusion becomes a reality, kiss all other energy sources goodbye, it will become the power source for everything, electricity, synthetic fuel, manufacturing, waste recycling, desalination, everything, and will change the world even at a rate cheap printable solar power could never even dream of.

Which is all the more reason not to waste a useful resource like old abandoned offshore oil platforms on windmills…...regardless ! ! ! (which is what they want to use them for now) You can’t run very many cars and trucks on fuel from offshore windmills. Put high energy density DPF fusion plants on abandoned oil platforms for making fuel from ocean water just like I said.  NOW GO BACK AND READ EVERYTHING THAT I SAID.

The plan is to place the generators as near to the demand as feasible.  Personally, I think we should turn offshore oil platforms into improved habitats for sea life (under water) and cell phone towers for boat traffic (above water).  Nothing worse than losing a call when you’re floating across the Gulf of Mexico.

Based on everything you’ve said, it looks like coastal plants would still win out over the sea based platforms owing to shipping costs.

About that $100/bbl oil: at this moment, it’s back down to $66!

It’s gotta be approaching a floor.

Duke Leto - 23 October 2008 07:38 PM

It’s gotta be approaching a floor.

Until FF kicks in, then it will fall into the sub-basement!   

Don’t enumerate your poultry prior to their emergence from their ovoids.

Duke Leto - 23 October 2008 10:19 PM

Don’t enumerate your poultry prior to their emergence from their ovoids.

So saith the egghead!  But he’s cracked, surely.   

Might be getting a little off the subject of offshore FFs that synthesize methanol for fuel cell cars, but I love the cracked eggshell of cracked - up chicken humor ! ! ! 

Oil now $40, and barely holding, despite massive production cuts.  Inventories soaring.  SUVs back in business! 

Predicting stock and commodity bottoms is a fool’s game. 

Granted Brian, but I think we can agree that unless Eric and the team succeed, there must logically BE a bottom, by virtue of the mere fact that Petroleum is finite and demand is increasing in the long term.

Sheer Malthusian nastiness predicates it.

Duke Leto - 05 February 2009 02:49 AM

Granted Brian, but I think we can agree that unless Eric and the team succeed, there must logically BE a bottom, by virtue of the mere fact that Petroleum is finite and demand is increasing in the long term.

Sheer Malthusian nastiness predicates it.

Oh, yes; no one can top my enthusiasm and hopefulness about FF’s direct and indirect consequences.  Why, I even believe it might save us from the rampaging malignant foolishness of That One! 

As for oil’s bottom, and substitutes therefor, there are many possibilities, including gene-cloned tobacco and potato plants producing biodegradable plastics and hydrocarbons to order, and advanced reprocessing tech that can take just about any organic waste as input, etc. 

But I strongly doubt that Peak Oil will truly occur in the foreseeable future.

Energy Density of the solar input puts a maximum limit on what you can get out of a square foot of anything dedicated to catching and using solar energy.  And every square foot of land or sea devoted to producing energy from solar power by whatever means is one that is taken away from making food or supporting the ecosphere.

I agree we will not be reaching peak oil soon.  We passed through it last year and came out the other side, it helped to trigger the present Depressionary conditions as much as anything.

You know Brian, if you honestly believe that Obama is a foolish malignancy, I doubt there’s any point in my trying to argue that he isn’t with you.

I speak of practical “Peak Oil” in the sense of what we will actually end up using, especially given the contribution of FF, not to mention massive untouched resources like the Bakken.

As for Obama, ever read his mentors, Alinsky and Ayers?  Cloward-Piven?  I suggest you do. 
And I’d be interested in your personal rationalization for the $1M he’s spent on 3 law firms preventing anyone from seeing his actual signed original medical birth certificate.  Or any of his school records.  Or immigration (from Indonesia) files.  Or IL Senate records. Or financial records, including the funding of his advanced education (brokered by El Mansour, vile anti-American Islamist).  Etc.