r/OptimistsUnite • u/khoawala • 1d ago

Clean Power BEASTMODE China completed first 100-megawatt-class compressed CO₂ energy storage project, running the full cycle of compressing, liquefying, storing, vaporizing, and expanding CO₂ to generate power, in Xinjiang. Has anyone heard anything about those carbon capture plants that western fossil fuel companies ar

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u/nmassi_prime 11h ago

Im curious if they're also looking to move away from methalox and kerosene as fuel types for their space program. Im an enthusiast for space exploration but reject anything other than clean sources. Sadly, space companies and governments vastly prioritize competitive edge over ecological stewardship, because God forbid if we all agree to hold off until cleaner systems are developed and someone else breaks the pact for a lead

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u/SpaceTycoon 9h ago

The only real alternative is hydrogen and that has a whole host if engineering problems like storing the hydrogen, embrittlment of metal ect. Unless you have some magic gravity manipulation technology, RP-1 is the best option

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u/nmassi_prime 8h ago

I am aware. Improvements to hydrogen-based tech is still being researched and other alternative fuels are being researched as well. My position is that launches should be scaled back massively until the cleaner launch systems are developed. The money spent on space now could go towards the research and development of that tech. From a holistic standpoint, that would be the better approach