What About Amazing New Technologies Such As Thermal Depolymerization, Solar Nanotech, Space Based Solar Arrays, and other Energy-Miracles?
Thermal depolymerization is an intriguing solution to our landfill problems, but since most of the feedstock (such as tires and turkey guts) requires high-grade oil to make in the first place, it is more “high-tech recycling” than it is a solution to a permanent oil shortage. At the risk of sounding crass, hoping that thermal depolymerization will do much to solve a long-term energy crisis is like hoping that eating your own feces will do much to solve a long-term famine. In both cases, the energy starved party is simply recycling a small portion of energy they originally consumed. In terms of replacing traditional oil, the technology is besieged by several fundamental shortcomings that those desperately hoping for a techno-messiah tend to overlook: First, there is the problem of the technology’s net energy – or more accurately, lack thereof. According to the company itself, the process has an efficiency of 85%. This means 100 units of energy go in, 85 come out. That’s a negative EROEI
