From: Paul Grant (shade999@optonline.net)
Date: Sun Jun 15 2003 - 03:12:45 MDT
Actually someone's really working on something cool :)
They've got a process to convert the gas into a crystalline
solid. No containment problems/specialized transport necessary.
The trick is they've converted to a solid material already commercially
processed (for other purposes), thus making it economical. I can't
remember specifically what gas it was (methane, propane etc), but
it was a combustable gas suitable for a converted gasoline engine.
I read the article back in January/February. The main problem,
as I recall, was final distribution and consumption [similar
to the last mile problem with fiber vs copper]. Everybody's cars
are using gasoline, and to retrofit small distributors (e.g. not a
backbone supply) would be a pain... The former being significantly
more of a problem than the latter of course,
And as to methane production in solar ponds (a technology I am not
familiar with I confess), one of the byproduct of alcohol fermentation
is
methane, and that *is* currently being bottled by the beer/alcohol
companies
for resale..
omard-out
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-extropians@extropy.org [mailto:owner-extropians@extropy.org]
On Behalf Of Greg Burch
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2003 1:24 AM
To: extropians@extropy.org
Subject: RE: ENERGY: Singularity on hold?
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert J. Bradbury
> Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2003 11:07 PM
>
> I have heard, from what I consider to be an authoritative
> source, that international natural gas transport is not
> economic (it would triple or quadruple prices). Now perhaps
> that is because one has to build special vessels with high
> strength containers to compress it enough or cryogenic tanks
> to liquify it
<snip>
>
> I am willing to stand corrected if someone knows better.
The Old Salt stands. A quick google turned this up as an example:
http://www.mariport.com/Mariport%20Files/lng.htm
But there's plenty more. I know from recent meetings I've been in that
Korea has a substantial consumption of natural gas, all of which is
imported via ship.
One of my firm's clients, El Paso Natural Gas (founded by a former
partner in the firm) was one of the pioneers in the field of building
the first generation of LNG tankers in the 1960s. It was VERY high-tech
then but, although they still ain't your rusty old break bulk ships, LNG
tankers are relatively common today. The global fleet may be as big as
100 vessels in 2003.
Greg Burch
Vice-President, Extropy Institute
My Blog: http://www.gregburch.net/burchismo.html
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