Sulphur and refining oil

[Captain Caveman]

So if the emphasis is to do away with refining oil, where are you expecting to get sulphur from?

Currently, 98% of the world's sulphur supply is from the refineries. Sulphur is used for rubber (EV's need rubber), sugar uses sulphur, even fertilizer, and many other things.

So those saving the climate (from something), what's your sulphur supply plan?

 

[Grumblenuts]

Refining oil is not the problem. Burning fossil fuels is.

 

[elektra]

Refining oil is not the problem. Burning fossil fuels is.

You burn fossil fuels to make solar panels and wind turbines.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Refining oil is not the problem. Burning fossil fuels is.

What will you do with 99% of refined fossil fuels?

 

[Grumblenuts]

You burn fossil fuels to make solar panels and wind turbines.

Nope. We soon won't need to burn any -- thanks to wind turbines mostly in the short term combined with all the grid scale battery storage systems already coming online -- perhaps in the long term as well. I'm no fan of those giant suckers either, btw. The same output can be accomplished with much smaller, far less sophisticated, lower maintenance designs that practically any rube can erect on their own roof or in their yard.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Nope. We soon won't need to burn any -- thanks to wind turbines mostly in the short term combined with all the grid scale battery storage systems already coming online -- perhaps in the long term as well. I'm no fan of those giant suckers either, btw. The same output can be accomplished with much smaller, far less sophisticated, lower maintenance designs that practically any rube can erect on their own roof or in their yard.

Where will you turn to for sulphur? Wind turbines need vulcanised rubber, how will you substitute that? So use the sulphur, what will you do with the rest of the refined oil? What's your plan?

 

[elektra]

Nope. We soon won't need to burn any -- thanks to wind turbines mostly in the short term combined with all the grid scale battery storage systems already coming online -- perhaps in the long term as well. I'm no fan of those giant suckers either, btw. The same output can be accomplished with much smaller, far less sophisticated, lower maintenance designs that practically any rube can erect on their own roof or in their yard.

you can not make fiberglass without using the heat from coke, which comes from coal, to melt the silica
you can not make polysilicon without the heat from coke, to melt the silica

Then there are also chemicals from oil that are needed for both processes.

When we run out of oil or coke, we can not make solar panels or wind turbines.

Grid scale batteries? Thus far a complete failure, outside of Phoenix and at Moss pt. Ca.. As well as in Australia. They have a tendency to burn up.

 

[Grumblenuts]

What will you do with 99% of refined fossil fuels?

Make recyclable plastic products. The bulk could be pumped back down old holes after removing the sulphur and other needed components. In any case, don't burn it -- you know, don't do the human thing causing all that excess atmospheric CO2 currently overheating our planet. Stop burning methane, propane, butane, natural gas, gasoline, diesel,.. unless.. Unless! They are produced from surface sources like corn, algae, crap trees, and so forth.. {no longer "fossil" -- see what I did there?}
{eta -- and don't otherwise allow the release of fossil volatile or gaseous products into atmosphere either -- that's the really hard part}

Sulphur is also a product of pyrite, btw. A mineral that could be mined if necessary -- i.e. after weighing the environmental costs and benefits of each available extraction method. Finding ways to use less is always good

 

[elektra]

Make recyclable plastic products. The bulk could be pumped back down old holes after removing the sulphur and other needed components. In any case, don't burn it -- you know, don't do the human thing causing all that excess atmospheric CO2 currently overheating our planet. Stop burning methane, propane, butane, natural gas, gasoline, diesel,.. unless.. Unless! They are produced from surface sources like corn, algae, crap trees, and so forth.. {no longer "fossil" -- see what I did there?}

Sulphur is also a product of pyrite, btw. A mineral that could mined if necessary -- i.e. after weighing the environmental costs and benefits of each available extraction method. Finding ways to use less is always good

and after we stop burning all that fuel, and then take the food and turn that into fuel for the rich, you can be the first to volunteer to go hungry

and without oil, lets not forget that food production goes down dramatically, who should you starve first

 

[ReinyDays]

I don't think refining oil is the environmental problem at hand ... as elektra points out, so many useful products are made from fossil fuels it seems a shame to just simply burn it ... producing CO2 which may (or may not) be cooking our atmosphere ...

Better to pay more for sulfur today than to run out of fossil fuels I say, all these chemical compounds produced can be had through alternate means, just means that are more expensive is all ... besides ... with 90% fewer passenger cars on the road, we'll be needed less tires ... ha ha ha ...

The free market fixes this ... as the fossil fuels run out, the energy produced will become more expensive ... you'll cut back then, now won't you ... ha ha ha ...

 

[ding]

Make recyclable plastic products. The bulk could be pumped back down old holes after removing the sulphur and other needed components. In any case, don't burn it -- you know, don't do the human thing causing all that excess atmospheric CO2 currently overheating our planet. Stop burning methane, propane, butane, natural gas, gasoline, diesel,.. unless.. Unless! They are produced from surface sources like corn, algae, crap trees, and so forth.. {no longer "fossil" -- see what I did there?}
{eta -- and don't otherwise allow the release of fossil volatile or gaseous products into atmosphere either -- that's the really hard part}

Sulphur is also a product of pyrite, btw. A mineral that could be mined if necessary -- i.e. after weighing the environmental costs and benefits of each available extraction method. Finding ways to use less is always good

So the sale of sulfur, lubricants, plastic feed-stock, etc. will have to cover all of the costs of extraction and re-injection? I'm not sure you have thought this through.

 

[ding]

The free market fixes this

But can the free market fix government blunders?

 

[Sunsettommy]

But can the free market fix government blunders?

Better voting decisions and better candidates to vote for greatly reduce government blunders.

 

[ding]

Better voting decisions and better candidates to vote for greatly reduce government blunders.

Are we living in the same country?

 

[Sunsettommy]

Are we living in the same country?

I live in one of the most conservative regions of the country, thus see it firsthand but Newhouse really disappointed me over the January 6 vote he made now he may lose his seat in the next election because of that blunder which is how hard it is for republicans to survive their blunders.

 

[elektra]

I don't think refining oil is the environmental problem at hand ... as elektra points out, so many useful products are made from fossil fuels it seems a shame to just simply burn it ... producing CO2 which may (or may not) be cooking our atmosphere ...

Better to pay more for sulfur today than to run out of fossil fuels I say, all these chemical compounds produced can be had through alternate means, just means that are more expensive is all ... besides ... with 90% fewer passenger cars on the road, we'll be needed less tires ... ha ha ha ...

The free market fixes this ... as the fossil fuels run out, the energy produced will become more expensive ... you'll cut back then, now won't you ... ha ha ha ...

So why simply waste oil on solar and wind which are low yield returns, and short lived

 

[ding]

So why simply waste oil on solar and wind which are low yield returns, and short lived

I believe solar and wind have a place but not when they try to force a square peg into a round hole which is especially true for when it's being done for the wrong reason.

 

[elektra]

I believe solar and wind have a place but not when they try to force a square peg into a round hole which is especially true for when it's being done for the wrong reason.

1000 tons of coal per square inch of solar panel which when under an industrial, grid, load last less than ten years is my problem with solar and the same can be said for wind

 

[ding]

1000 tons of coal per square inch of solar panel which when under an industrial, grid, load last less than ten years is my problem with solar and the same can be said for wind

A short lifespan is the problem of the people purchasing solar panels. What's the 1000 tons of coal per square inch of solar panel? Is that the energy required to produce a solar panel? If so that seems high.

 

[elektra]

A short lifespan is the problem of the people purchasing solar panels. What's the 1000 tons of coal per square inch of solar panel? Is that the energy required to produce a solar panel? If so that seems high.

I know, it is very high, coal or coke, to melt the silica in a blast furnace to produce the polysilicon. I will find the website to double check. It really is a jaw dropping number.