I recently learned that oil is mostly composed of algae and phytoplankton capturing carbon out the atmosphere thousands of years ago. Later the organisms fall to the bottom of the ocean and through time turn into crude hydrocarbons. So why do we not attempt to create the same crude oil by using alge with waste water from water processing plants?
In: 21
Yes and no.
Fossil fuels come from various organic materials, not just dinosaurs – plants and vegetation, other animals and more have all formed the different fuel types found.
The problem is that to turn them into the fossil fuels we know takes millions of years. So replacing them naturally is not practical on a human timescale, and so far the alternative processes we have developed to form similar fuels have not been effective or efficient enough to create a true alternative.
Fossil fuels also come with considerable downsides in the form of the pollution created when burning them – so even if we could reliably recreate them in a renewable manner, we would still be aiming to reduce their use to limit the environmental impact.
Latest Answers