New Solar technology scrubs CO2 and yields burnable fuel ..

[Chet K]

The smaller we can see ,it seems the more we can accomplish

Nano tech

Snip
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have engineered a potentially game-changing solar cell that cheaply and efficiently converts atmospheric carbon dioxide directly into usable hydrocarbon fuel, using only sunlight for energy. The new catalyst is 1,000 times faster than noble-metal catalysts -- and about 20 times cheaper

http://revolution-green.com/solar-cell-captures-carbon-dioxide-sunlight-produces-burnable-fuel/

Mark Dansie shared this here too.
http://overunity.com/16761/solar-cell-captures-carbon-dioxide-and-sunlight-produces-burnable-fuel/msg489058/#new

respectfully

Chet K

[evolvingape]

When light of 100 watts per square meter — about the average intensity reaching Earth's surface — energizes the cell

Is the cell reaction producing hydrocarbon fuel dependent on the solar energy exclusively to function, or can the energy required for the process be supplied as electricity via an alternate prime source ? (not solar)

[Chet K]

Actually I believe  the gentleman Simon mentioned this at one point over at  Dansie's place.

However
the efficiency information seems to be vague  ?

Chet

[evolvingape]

1 cubic meter of water weighs 1 metric ton, 1000Kg.

Two cubic meters of water (stacked in 1 meter cubes one on top of the other) weighs 2 metric tons, 2000Kg, and still only covers a 1 meter squared footprint at the boundary plane.

My point is that solar is available only for a portion of a day and scales in a 2 dimensional plane.. quite limited it seems.