"A society on Mars, just like the current one on Earth, will require fuel for transportation. Carbon-based chemicals, such as gasoline and diesel, are widely used as transportation fuels on Earth due to the fact that they have a high energy density and are relatively safe to handle. On Earth these fuels are derived from oil that is extracted through wells from underground reservoirs. Because such reservoirs do not exist on Mars, we will have to find alternative sources of carbon-based chemicals on Mars if we wish to be able to use such fuels there.
The atmosphere of Mars is 95.3% carbon dioxide (CO2). While carbon dioxide itself is not useful as a transportation fuel, it can serve as a carbon resource from which fuels can be produced. Certain technologies currently being developed, such as the electrochemical reduction of CO2 (ERC) are capable of converting CO2 into fuels and other carbon-based chemicals (including formic acid, carbon monoxide and therefore its derivatives, and hydrocarbons) while also producing oxygen (O2) as a byproduct. By using electricity, which can be produced on Mars from sunlight through the use of solar panels, we ca produce fuels on Mars directly from atmospheric gases. These fuels can then be used to power vehicles for moving people and resources through the Mars society, much like on Earth" - Patrick Dod, 2015, www.mantraventuregroup.com.
Fun fact: 20,000 tonnes per person (in the U.S.) of CO2 are produced each year!
The atmosphere of Mars is 95.3% carbon dioxide (CO2). While carbon dioxide itself is not useful as a transportation fuel, it can serve as a carbon resource from which fuels can be produced. Certain technologies currently being developed, such as the electrochemical reduction of CO2 (ERC) are capable of converting CO2 into fuels and other carbon-based chemicals (including formic acid, carbon monoxide and therefore its derivatives, and hydrocarbons) while also producing oxygen (O2) as a byproduct. By using electricity, which can be produced on Mars from sunlight through the use of solar panels, we ca produce fuels on Mars directly from atmospheric gases. These fuels can then be used to power vehicles for moving people and resources through the Mars society, much like on Earth" - Patrick Dod, 2015, www.mantraventuregroup.com.
Fun fact: 20,000 tonnes per person (in the U.S.) of CO2 are produced each year!