Carbon Dioxide Utilization Techniques for Producing Transportation Fuels

Abstract

The increase in the fossil fuels used for transport and electrical energy generation and unprecedented growth in the human population have led to a rise in greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Of these greenhouse gases, the relative contribution of carbon dioxide to global warming is about 60% Some of the significant ill impacts of climate change and global warming are an average increase in worldwide temperatures every year, severe storms caused flooding and landslides, melting of polar ice caps causing sinking of low-lying areas, and an increase in the occurrences of droughts and thus lesser crop yield, which ultimately leads to poverty and displacement. One way to mitigate these ill effects is to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. One such way is capturing the carbon dioxide from industrial processes and fossil fuel burning. This carbon dioxide can be further sequestered or stored in geological sites, such as depleted oil reservoirs, or by biological processes. However, more is needed to solve the problem as there is always the chance of carbon dioxide leakage back into the atmosphere. Thus, recently the research focus in this area has shifted from sequestration to utilizing carbon dioxide to find a permanent solution and produce valuable products. After conversion to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide can be reacted with hydrogen and made to have several commercially valuable products. In this chapter, the techniques for utilization of carbon dioxide for producing transport fuels diesel, gasoline, methanol, kerosene, and dimethyl ether have been focused on, along with the costs involved for some of them. The different methods to capture CO2 and produce H2 have also been discussed.