'Ice That Burns' May Yield Clean, Sustainable Bridge To Global Energy Future

[Cutlass]

LPG doesn't need compression, and can fill your tanks fairly fast. There are service stations here that still have CNG - it fills in a few minutes; most certainly doesn't require overnight filling!

The main downside with CNG is that you can't store much of it, and hence the range of the cars is limited to only a 100 km or so.

But the pipeline NG available here is neither LPG nor CNG. So either of those needs new infrastructure. I know it's doable. But there is a lot involved in doing it if you have to create most of the infrastructure from scratch.

 

[ainwood]

But the pipeline NG available here is neither LPG nor CNG. So either of those needs new infrastructure. I know it's doable. But there is a lot involved in doing it if you have to create most of the infrastructure from scratch.

You've probably already got the infrastructure for LPG. LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas, Propane and/or Butane) is a by-product of gas & condensate production. Its the components that are (generally) too heavy to be left in the gas, and too light for the condensate / oil (well, they take more refining). Most places have infrastructure for LPG, because its such a versatile fuel: Used in camping equipment, gas barbeques, domestic & industrial cooking etc. If you have the infrastrucutre to fill people's gas bottles for the barbeques or RVs, then you have the infrastructure to fill their vehicles - its exactly the same.

That said, on the thread topic, propane & butane are not part of the 'ice that burns'. Clathrates (or hydrates) are effectively small molecules being trapped in the interstices within water structures. Larger molecules such as propane & butane are generally too large for this (they will form, but are much less common and much less stable). Therefore this "ice that burns" is generally methane & ethane - close to reticulated gas. If you have reticulated gas, then you have most of the infrastructure. All you need is a compressor to get it into your vehicle, and small compressors are relatively cheap.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane_clathrate

 

[raigainousa]

It was offered as a possible explanation, not as a phenomenon that would cause boat sinkings all over the world.

However, it might be because there are strong sub-ocean currents that bring warm water in at great depths, melting the hydrates quickly.

Spoiler :

Bermuda triangle??? What the hell is that???

Wait a minute why mine it? It could reallllllly cause ecological disaster. It generally serves as cement to stick the rocks in its place. And yes, positive feedback. So instead of mining things that shouldnt be mined, let us focus on what we have today.

 

[Narz]

Clean

Fossil fuels, clean? Love the spin.

Sustainable

In a landmark study, the USGS scientists estimated that 85.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas could potentially be extracted from gas hydrates in Alaska's North Slope region, enough to heat more than 100 million average homes for more than a decade.

They should look up words they use before they use them. Something that can provide a small percentage of the world's population heat to their homes for twelve years & then run out is not sustainable.

Bridge To Global Energy Future

WTH does that even mean? Might as well say, continued use of coal & crude oil is the "bridge" to the future.

Headlines like this are an insult to the reader's intelligence.