aviel wrote:The problem with that process is the first law of thermodynamics; no matter how much energy you put in, at best with 100% efficiency, you're only going to get that much out. So either you need even more oil to create that oil, or you need another form of energy, in which case why not just use that in the first place?
...I have no idea how that didn't occur to me. It's much more portable as an energy source than natural gas, most renewables or even nuclear, though, so it's much more limited than I thought, but it has its upsides, particularly transportation-wise.
Do you happen to know the latest on solar roadways, by the way? I've grown accustomed to such breakthroughs being a matter of Scientific American article today, forgotten tomorrow, but dangit, for that one I'm still holding out hope.
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered,
Never knowing the reason why,
But whoever treasures freedom,
Like the swallow, must learn to fly.