Transforming Waste Plastic Into $10/Barrel Fuel 315
Mike writes "Today Washington DC-based company Envion opened a $5 million dollar facility that they claim will be able to efficiently transform plastic waste into a source of oil-like fuel. The technology uses infra-red energy to remove hydrocarbons from plastic without the use of a catalyst, transforming 82% of the original plastic material into fuel. According to Envion, the resulting fuel can then be blended with other components, providing a source for gasoline or diesel at as low as $10 per barrel."
Unintended consequences (Score:1, Funny)
The price of fuel may plummet but the price of philly cheese steak toppings goes through the roof.
Sure. You "irradiate" with IR until it melts... (Score:3, Funny)
...and then run the hot liquid through your radiators.
Envion? (Score:4, Funny)
I can't quite put my finger on it, but the name of the company scares me for some reason.
Re:Infra red energy? (Score:3, Funny)
So that's how they snuck in that patent on fire.
Envion or Enron? (Score:1, Funny)
Envion or Enron?
Re:$4.9 million spent on Frank Carlucci (Score:5, Funny)
Yes, nothing new can ever be (or have the potential for becoming) cost effective, because if it was, it would already be done by everyone, everywhere, already. Everything that can be done, is already being done. Semptember 16, 2009, is the official end date of human progress.
Re:Can we put one of these factories on a ship? (Score:4, Funny)
And anchovies. Don't forget anchovies are the secret behind Mom's Old-Fashion Robot Oil, and they willon goion extinct around 2200.
http://theinfosphere.org/A_Fishful_of_Dollars [theinfosphere.org]
Re:I also saw this with great skepticism, but... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:And In Other News (Score:3, Funny)
And in other news, a new law was finally passed making it legal to beat fraudsters to death with copies of their SEC filings.
RTFA:
This company has already built a facility, and has already landed a contract for the fuel. They are using a well known technology, just with a slightly different take (IR instead of chemical catalysts).
This doesn't exactly look like vaporware to me.
So the hydrocarbons come off as a liquid?
*rimshot*
Thanks all, I'll be here all week! Remember to tip your waitress!
Re:Can we put one of these factories on a ship? (Score:5, Funny)
And dolphins.
But they're intelligent!
Except for the ones that spend all their money on instant lottery tickets. They're stupid, so it's ok to eat them...
Question answered (Score:2, Funny)
http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/09/16/1440244 [slashdot.org]
Re:Can we put one of these factories on a ship? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Can we put one of these factories on a ship? (Score:2, Funny)
The fact that the only scientist who seemed to claim dolphins were more intelligent was doing studies with them involving LSD seems to discredit the idea...
[Scientist drops a few tabs]
Dolphin: [dolphin sounds]
Scientist: Like, wow, man. That's profound. You dolphins are really groovy...and intelligent!
Re:Remove Hydrocarbons from Plastic???!!!! (Score:2, Funny)
Well, it didn't say that.
Some people are intelligent enough to figure these things out by themselves.
Well, I guess I'm a dumbass, then.
Re:And In Other News (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What can you actually do with 5Mil (Score:3, Funny)
Re:$10 per Barrel (Score:5, Funny)
Life's harsh, but we manage to make it through the night.
Re:What can you actually do with 5Mil (Score:5, Funny)
There is a lot of DC that I've never seen, but I was wondering where they found those vacant lots with trees where they were able to set up a couple tractor trailer loads of tanks and catwalks. I'll check the yellow pages for propane/LNG wholesalers....
I'm sure it must get a mention in the latest Dan Brown book as some kind of conspiracy involving the Freemasons trying to undermine the Oil Cartels.
Re:Infra red energy? (Score:3, Funny)
Hey, get an extinguisher, your patent is on fire!