Why it is Impossible to Replace Fossil Fuels with Alternative Fuel Sources
The failures of “alternative” and “clean” fuels are making one thing abundantly clear: we cannot replace fossil fuels with anything comparable, at least not with any of the energy sources currently available to us. For one thing, there are no clean alternatives. There is no fossil fuel “
What is the Best Crude Oil in the World and Why Are Some Crude Oils Better than Others?
The answer to the question, “what is the best crude oil in the world,” is based on two oil qualities: weight and sulfur content. Not all crude oil is the same. Just as there are different types of crude oil derivatives — diesel, gasoline, kerosene (jet fuel), fuel oil, bunker fuel, pla
How Does Nature Make Oil? Diagenesis, Catagenesis and Hydrocarbons
The single most important natural resource in human history — with respect to the development and use of technology — is oil. Fossil fuels generate our electricity and propel our vehicles, ships, and airplanes. Fossil fuels are the reason we have plastics and synthetics, the materials we use to
Choosing a Fuel Catalyst: What “Catalysts” are and aren’t Catalysts
Choosing a fuel catalyst requires an understanding of what a catalyst is and what is not a catalyst and understanding what a catalyst — or a non-catalyst — can and cannot do. The problem is, the definition of a catalyst — therefore, the function of a catalyst — is a moving target. Gaining an
Why Diesel Engines are More Fuel Efficient than Gasoline Engines
Diesel engines are more fuel efficient than gasoline engines. That is to say, diesel engines get better “gas” mileage than comparably sized gasoline powered engines. There are two reasons why. First, diesel is a better fossil fuel than gasoline with respect to energy density. And second, diesel
How Efficient are Engines: Thermodynamics and Combustion Efficiency
How efficient are engines? Combustion engines are stupefyingly inefficient. Most diesel engines do not even have a thermal efficiency of 50%. Of every gallon of diesel burned by a combustion engine, less than half of the energy generated becomes mechanical energy. That is to say, of the energy produ
How Efficient are Engines: Compression Ratio & Thermal Efficiency
What Percent of the Thermal Energy Produced by Fossil Fuel Combustion Contributes to the Locomotion of a Vehicle? There is a conundrum with respect to the diesel-versus-gasoline-engine comparison. It is common knowledge in Europe, Asia, Australia, South and Central America — just about everywhere
Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Country: Who Produces the Most CO2?
In 2017, carbon dioxide around the world hit record highs. According to the International Energy Agency, “Global energy-related carbon emissions rose to a historic high of 32.5 gigatons last year, after three years of being flat, due to higher energy demand and the slowing of energy efficiency imp
Pros and Cons of Every Energy
Which Energies are Most Productive, Environmentally Friendly, and Sustainable There are pros and cons to every energy source, pros, and cons by which we judge the value of an energy source. Some energies produce more power than others. Some energy types pollute less than others. Some energy sources
What is Crude Oil Made Of? Or, What is Crude Oil? Or, What is Oil?
Fossil Fuel Components of Crude Oil and What Makes Them Different While the notion of a barrel of oil is just as common in everyday vernacular as the idea of a bottle of water, what crude oil is made of is a mystery to most people. “What is crude oil made of?” is the question […]