Will synthetic oil made from decaying plant matter add net CO2 into the atmosphere?

Question

A scientist named J.C. Bell has discovered a way to make bacteria turn decaying plant matter into synthetic oil. Will this add to net carbon release into the atmosphere or will this matter have released an equal amount of CO2 as it decayed anyway?

Answer 1

Plants absorb CO2 and give off oxygen.  Any action we take to speed up the release of CO2 by destroying plant life or its remnants increases CO2 above the natural level.  If in converting decaying plant matter to oil and burning the oil we are faster than it would naturally occur, we are increasing the CO2 in the air.  The main source of unnatural level of CO2 in the air is the consumption of oil, gas and coal(which were all plant and animal life at one time).  This release of CO2 is above the natural level.

Answer 2

it will release as much CO2 into the atmosphere when it is burnt as was taken out of the atmosphere by the plants. there may be some more CO2 released because of processing but other then that it should be carbon neutral.

Answer 3

Real oil is made from decayed plant matter. What's the difference?

How many billions of acres will it take to supply the world's needs?

Answer 4

No.  Actually, we have known how to do this for quite some time (at least 60 years).  The problem is always cost.

Answer 5

While the process itself would be carbon neutral the blending and shipping of the resulting fuel takes energy and that in most cases would add to the world carbon balance.

Answer 6

No.

The simplest reason is that this carbon was removed from the atmosphere by plants a short time ago.  Putting it back is no big deal.

The problem is digging up stuff the natural carbon cycle buried over a very long time, a long time ago, and burning it real fast.

Answer 7

If a well engineered process to make oil from biomass a net decline in CO2 levels can be achieved. The old ways are not well engineered processes so they need to be replaced. The reason CO2 levels can be reduced by making oil from biomass should be clear to anyone that does a little research on the process. Its because more CO2 is used by plants and less CO2 is emited by human activity when you get it right. It is really very simple afterall.