Greenhouse Gasses? Go Fish!

by Justin Berkowitz

Published: July 27th, 2007

Reuters reports that three Welsh fishing buddies claim they've invented a device that collects 85 percent of CO2 produced by any internal combustion engine. More importantly, their "green box" holds the gas in a safe, inert state that can be easily handled, transported and released into a controlled environment. The inventors theorize that algae could then feast on the collected CO2, after which the algae could become biodiesel. If the technology works as advertised, the system would make a nice little end run around the whole greenhouse gas issue. Skeptics should note that not even the inventors wives have examined the green box's innards. Also, after every demonstration organic chemist Derek Palmer and engineers Ian Houston and John Jones divide their invention into three parts and hide them in various locations across North Wales. Should we buy this fabulous claim? Maybe. After all, Welshman William Robert Grove invented the first fuel cell– in the 1800's.

Justin Berkowitz

Immensely bored law student. I've also got 3 dogs.

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4 of 7 comments

Shaker on Jul 27, 2007

So, since 1 gallon of gas produces 20lbs of CO2, the "Greenbox" (if 95% efficient) would weigh 180lbs more after burning 10 gallons of gasoline. Hmmm...

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Nonce on Jul 27, 2007
So, since 1 gallon of gas produces 20lbs of CO2, the “Greenbox” (if 95% efficient) would weigh 180lbs more after burning 10 gallons of gasoline. Assuming it's storing the carbon as CO2. There are other ways, although they don't say what they are. I'm not saying that this whole thing doesn't scream of being a hoax. Real inventors don't hide their inventions in 3 separate pieces and in 3 separate minds. (Hope one of them doesn't get hit by a bus!) They file for patents.

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50merc on Jul 27, 2007

Hey, even if it is a hoax, this is perfect for Europe's unemployment-plagued economies! It'd be like having to replace your muffler every time you buy fuel. Think of all the service station attendants needed to remove full Greenboxes and install empty ones, the truck drivers to haul Greenboxes between factories, gas stations and bioreactors, and the workers to build and operate the algae facilities and biofuel processing plants. Unions and their politicians will join to demand Greenboxes. Oh, BTW -- water vapor (the stuff a Greenbox would still allow out to the atmosphere) is a greenhouse gas, too. And a more potent one than CO2.

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Miked on Jul 27, 2007
So, since 1 gallon of gas produces 20lbs of CO2, the “Greenbox” (if 95% efficient) would weigh 180lbs more after burning 10 gallons of gasoline. Hmmm… I was getting all ready to call BS on you, but I did the back of the envelope calculations and you're right (I get about 18 lbs of CO2 per gallon). I never thought about that! That's gonna get heavy real quick! Edited to add: This is a lower limit too. Whatever magic they're doing to make the CO2 storeable (probably complexing it with something to make it a solid) will also add weight!

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