We're saved! Americans invent perpetual motion

[Tim+]

...er, not quite.

One has to despair at the lack of understanding of the basic laws of physics by many journalists.

Tim

[Brian Gaff]

So where does the energy come from to extract the energy then?

From what I recall, whatever method you use tends to give you hydrogen and oxygen and a whole heap of salt.

Its not that efficient and the way they are proposing to do it I seem to recall it gets quite hot and has in the past been prone to big bang type issues. Brian

[Tim Streater]

Well, you have to put it in, don't you. And you'll be putting more in in terms of electricity than you get out in terms of energy content of the fuel. Now, if you have lots of cheap nuclear volts, more than you need for demand at the time (such as during the night), a good use for the excess would be to synthesise fuel, as TNP has posted.

Of course, in harry's world, nuclear doesn't exist, so f*ck knows what

*he* is going to do.

[Scott M]

More insulation.

[dennis]

The same as he does now.. use fossil fuel and nuclear power to power his home and car while claiming he doesn't.

[docholliday93]

I was expecting to see that the original news release came out on April 1st - but it actually looks as if it's an real idea to generate aircraft fuel using some other power source (e.g. electricity on a nuclear powered aircra ft carrier). Any comments about destroyers creating their own fuel would ap pear to be the journalists misinterpretation...

[newshound]

Me too!

[Tim Streater]

Well the volts in the carrier would be essentially free, but whether the yield would suffice is another matter. It might supplement the jet fuel, perhaps.

[Nightjar]

A couple of thoughts: A report by Princetown University has recommended that the USA give serious consideration to developing an artificial oil industry, to avoid dependence on overseas sources, which they estimate will take 30-40 years and cost around $1 trillion. If you want to develop a technology, give the military a reason to want it and people are less likely to question the budget.

Colin Bignell