> They also seem to preserve the number of total CO2 molecules around.
Of course, they are chemical reactions. Did you think they would destroy atoms?
The idea here is to make renewable hydrocarbons: when you burn them, they are only putting CO2 that came from the atmosphere back, not releasing new CO2 from fossil fuels.
It assumes that you power this fuel-generator with renewable energy, of course.
Obviously not, that would be far too much energetic :-)
If the goal is removing CO2 the reaction should combine some C into something that doesn't burn, but that's not going to happen if the goal is creating fuel.
Of course, they are chemical reactions. Did you think they would destroy atoms?
The idea here is to make renewable hydrocarbons: when you burn them, they are only putting CO2 that came from the atmosphere back, not releasing new CO2 from fossil fuels.
It assumes that you power this fuel-generator with renewable energy, of course.