Methane-hydrates. Fuel for the future?

Interesting topic I ran across a couple of days ago in a scientific magazine (don't remember which one, more's the pity...).

In it there was an article discussing Methane-hydrates, and the possible uses as an extremely clean energy source, if it can be harnessed cleanly. Maybe plentiful would be a better word to use...rather than clean.

Methane-hydrate

The link above gives a short explanation of Methane-hydrates. An interesting alternative to oil.

Thoughts?

[edit on 10/21/2009 by seagull]

Great read. But as we all know, an alternative fuel source, will not take over. Until we run out of oil. Their is just to much money it and the world is run off of oil.

reply to post by grapples

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That would, I suppose, be true. Truth to tell, though, I really don't much care who gets the energy out of the ground. If it's some oil company, or even a small flyby night group, what matters is the research into, and exploitation of, this source needs to be explored.

As much as we might hate the idea, the big oil companies are the ones with the research and developement facilities, and the expertise in cold weather work to do it. They get rich doing it? They're the ones doing the work.

Here's another link to better explain just what Methane-hydrates are:

Future fuel?

There could be a real future in the exploitation of this source. Some estimates are a source of fuel for upwards of 3500 years...that's staggering, and useful. ...notice too how widespread the sources are. They're all over the bloody world, this could go a ways towards easing tensions in certain parts of the world...or at least remove that particular excuse.

Am I missing something? This just seems so rife with positive aspects.

Edited to fix the link.

[edit on 11/4/2009 by seagull]

This is the magazine article I mentioned in my opening post...

Methane-Hydrates are totally cool, and burn, too...

I too like the idea of methane hydrate as a future energy source. It really packs a punch in terms of what you get out compared to what you put in.

I'm no big city scientist but I think the main (and really BIG) problems right now are getting over both the instability problem which of course ties into the harvesting method.

Both are completely intertwined.

So as soon as the big brains can figure out how to remove, store and distibute it without being 'sploded to bits I think it will turn out to be one of many energy sources we will be using in the next twenty to fifty years.

Maybe sooner as the problems sound big they're not it'll be like a domino thing once the main problem of volatility is overcome everything else should click into place.

But then again I'm an optomist.

Let's also not forget that underwater exploration and industry in the end helps us prepare for off planet exploration and colonization which we will have to do eventually if we wish to survive as a species.

Whether or not we deserve to survive remains to be seen.

Garsh I loves me some science.

Spiderj

[edit on 11/4/2009 by Spiderj]