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After developing a promising technology to recycle carbon dioxide (CO2) into gasoline, Santa Barbara, CA – based Carbon Sciences, Inc. has announced developing key enzymes that will accelerate its biocatalytic process and significantly lower the cost of fuel production.

One potential large supplier of such captured CO2 might be coal-fired electrical power generating plants.  The impact could be  significant, said Carbon Sciences CEO, Byron Elton. “We strongly believe we are developing the most efficient and viable renewable fuel technology in the world. We estimate tat that with less than half of the the CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants, we can produce 30 percent of the world’s fuel supply.”

The conversion of captured CO2 to liquified fuels Source: Carbon Sciences

CutCO2.org estimated in 2006 that more than 9.3 billion tons of CO2 were being emitted and unsequestered each year from coal-fired power plants. Today, with growing worldwide demand to take action to reduce global CO2 emissions. One solution: capture CO2 and sequester it, storing its deep underground or in the ocean.

Byron Elton, Carbon Sciences CEO

“We happen to think sequestration is not a very good idea,” said Elton in an interview. “What do you do with it?”

Mr. Elton sees two significant challenges facing this planet’s population: energy and climate. With the world population growing by staggering multiples, the demand for energy is increasing by a factor equivalent to population growth.

“We have extraordinary problems in terms of climate; we’ve got to do something different. We’re doing irreparable damage to the world in which we live. All fuel starts with CO2. Is there a way to provide significant amounts of liquid portable fuel without destroying the planet? We think there is.”