> See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer-Tropsch_process Wikipedia also conveniently answers the "why don't we..." question right there in the first paragraph: "This synthetic fuel runs (so far) only in diesel engines and some aircraft engines; typical gasoline-using engines ignite the vapors at much higher temperatures, therefore making this synthetic fuel unusable." It's not synthetic gasoline, or synthetic diesel, or synthetic avgas--- it's just a synthetic hydrocarbon that certain classes of engine can be adapted to use. It's also not too cheap to make. You have to be pretty desperate to use it exclusively. Plenty of folks are looking at ways to convert coal--- there's a LOT of coal in the US--- but so far nothing economical has come of it. -- John Bange '90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger" '90 Vanagon GL - "Wiesel" |
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