Advancing the path of clean fuels

2000/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Energia berriztagarriak

Research on fuels that will go through oil and coal has been the challenge of this end of the century.

Solar energy, wind energy or electric energy are the sources in which methane is present, a molecule composed of 4 hydrogen atoms and a single carbon atom, which allows to burn the methane without increasing the greenhouse effect, since in the rivers few carbon oxides (IV) are generated.

The difference between words and facts is that burning methane requires very high temperatures (around 1.300ºC) and at these temperatures nitrogen oxides are generated that cause acid rain. Avoid one problem and create another. But the solution could be open: An American company has found a way to react to 400°C using a barium based catalyst.