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How much C02 to priduce electricity?

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Nik

Got there eventually :-)
Jan 18, 2011
245
1
Cambridge, UK
This story (By Lewis Page, although without the trademark heavily-overdone sarcasm) describes new technology for thermal (Coal, nuclear, gas, geothermal, etc) power stations that could increase generator efficiencies by 50%. Correspondingly, Co2/KWh reduces by a third. :)

Although Idon't have any references, supercritical C02 can also be used to dry clean clothes, de-grease steel and de-caffeinate coffee. Truly useful stuff...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/07/supercritical_co2_thermally_efficient_gennies/
 

Tesla Motors+

Apr 8, 2013 (edited) - Public


Some Monday Math: Refining one gallon of petroleum produces 24 lbs of CO2. Burning it produces another 19 lbs. That’s a total of 43 pounds of CO2 for every gallon of gas consumed. If you put 16 gallons of fuel into your vehicle you’ve added 384 pounds of CO2 into the environment before you even leave the gas station. Once the vehicle has burned all of the fuel, it will have released 688 pounds of CO2 into the environment. Compare this to Model S: Even in the worst case scenario, an EV using electricity generated from coal will produce 158 pounds of CO2 emissions. #GoElectric

 

Tesla Motors+

Apr 8, 2013 (edited) - Public


Some Monday Math: Refining one gallon of petroleum produces 24 lbs of CO2. Burning it produces another 19 lbs. That’s a total of 43 pounds of CO2 for every gallon of gas consumed. If you put 16 gallons of fuel into your vehicle you’ve added 384 pounds of CO2 into the environment before you even leave the gas station. Once the vehicle has burned all of the fuel, it will have released 688 pounds of CO2 into the environment. Compare this to Model S: Even in the worst case scenario, an EV using electricity generated from coal will produce 158 pounds of CO2 emissions. #GoElectric

I'm curious where they get 24 lbs of CO2 to refine a gallon of gasoline. Most places say it's closer to 2.4 lbs.
 
24 lbs of CO2 per gallon does indeed sound like alot(wrong), we have numbers here from the two Swedish refineries and they say their WTT(well to tank) number is 3.25 LBS CO2 per gallon of regular gasoline. Of course the electricity here is 40% nuclear and 50% water power so that adds very little CO2 to their inputs even though they are the largest user of electricity in the whole region.
http://www.preem.se/upload/Milj%C3%B6%20och%20utveckling/Klimatprestanda%20Preem%20drivmedelsprodukter.pdf
 
24 pounds of CO2 is the total approximate GREET well-to-wheels estimate for burning gasoline. It already includes both the roughly 19.4 pounds of CO2 from directly burning the gasoline plus the overhead of refining, transporting the gas etc.