crosspost: Al Gore on Coal to Liquid Technology

[bananas]

This needs another rec.
Al Gore and Harry Smith discussing CTL.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=33663&mesg_id=33663

[Dogmudgeon]

1. It's got five now

Coal "gasification" is a really, really, really, really, really stupid idea.

Another bad idea also in the news this week: grinding up the Rocky Mountains for expensive petroleum.

--p!

[razzleberry]

2. lots better than petroleum from the Middle East .n/t

[NNadir]

3. This depends on whether your interest is driving cars or saving the planet.

If you are interested in saving the planet you don't talk coal to liquids.

If you think driving to the mall is more important than the planet, you talk coal to liquids.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Exactly

[NickB79]

4. From a CO2 perspective, it is not better

The EROEI of coal-to-oil (around 3:1-4:1) is a fraction of that of Mid-East oil (20:1), meaning far more CO2 per barrel of oil is released, not to mention the destruction ramped-up coal mining would do to the landscape and local environments.