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We see the value in fuels like diesel being highly energy-dense. If we used the sun to create fuel like hydrogen or electricity, what is against simply creating (purified in some sense) man-made diesel and continue to use combustion engines?

We would not be contributing to the overall contribution of greehouse gases. Some arguments are diesel and friends are safer in storage and transportation than hydrogen.




The more complex the chemistry, the less economically viable.

Hydrogen is just H2. Diesel is a complex hydrocarbon.

A viable future, would be a highly distributed network of hydrogen stations, with Hydrogen generated from solar energy, with enough reserve capacity to act as a base load plant.

Extracting energy from hydrogen is a well understood process.


Probably makes more sense to do compressed or liquid methane for ground vehicles. Easier to synthesize and cleaner burning.


> what is against simply creating (purified in some sense) man-made diesel and continue to use combustion engines?

Mostly it’s just economics. Either the costs need to come down, or oil prices need to rise.

The way oil prices are headed, that might not take long.




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