Cost of (motoring) carbon

[IR35 Avoider]

The Stern report says the economic damage done by CO2 emmisions is 85 USD per ton. I found a web site somewhere that says a car diesel engine emits 2.75 kg per litre of diesel. (I think petrol was about 15% lower - didn't really check as I have a diesel car.) Using these figures and the FTs currency convertor, I am compensating society for my consumption if I pay 12p per litre in tax.

I can't be bothered to look up the exact level of fuel tax, but I think we are due something like a 75% reduction.

[Lucifer Box]

I found a web site somewhere that says a car diesel engine emits 2.75 kg per litre of diesel.

Is that possible? I mean, a litre of diesel presumably has a mass somewhere around the 1kg mark so how can 1kg of diesel produce 2.75kg of carbon? Isn't that spontaneous generation of mass?

All you science types please leap in and humiliate me for my ignorance.

[Sockpuppet]

Is that possible? I mean, a litre of diesel presumably has a mass somewhere around the 1kg mark so how can 1kg of diesel produce 2.75kg of carbon? Isn't that spontaneous generation of mass?

All you science types please leap in and humiliate me for my ignorance.

I suppose it could be possible as you are breaking hydrogen carbons and burning them with air to produce CO2 (and some other gases) so you could say a litre of diesel and a few thousand litres of air produce 2.75kg of carbon dioxide....

[DaveB]

I found a web site somewhere that says a car diesel engine emits 2.75 kg per litre of diesel.

It's per gallon. Figures are here

CO2 Emmisions are 10.1Kg/Gallon for diesel, of which approx 27% is carbon by weight = ~2.75Kg of carbon.

Divide that by 4.54 ( litres to the gallon ) and you get 0.6kg carbon/litre.

[Ardesco]

I don't know the exact chemical formula for Deisel but it is no doubt a long hydrocarbon chain. You could theoretically break off each carbon and combine it with 2 oxygen and then do the same for the hydrogen createing CO2 and H2O which could theoretically increase the toatl mass as you are adding oxygen to it.

So 2 Carbon and 2 Hydrogen would become 2 carbon 2 hydrogen and 5 Oxygen, this would increase it's mass by 2.25 times.

Bear in mind there is more than just hydrogen and carbon involved, i don't know the exact chemical forumala's I haven't taken into account weight of individual elements and I haven't done chemistry for over 10 years and there you have your answer

HTH

[Ardesco]

It's per gallon. Figures are here

CO2 Emmisions are 10.1Kg/Gallon for diesel, of which approx 27% is carbon by weight = ~2.75Kg of carbon.

Divide that by 4.54 ( litres to the gallon ) and you get 0.6kg carbon/litre.

I think that means you are compensating even more than you thought you were LuciferBox

[AtW]

I can't be bothered to look up the exact level of fuel tax, but I think we are due something like a 75% reduction.

The problem is that none of the money you, I and other motorists pay right now actually go towards saving environment - heck I run diesel so I am already doing my bit, but the irony of the situation is that all that huge money go to other things than compesating damage to environment and what's worse Brown Stuff dreads to think that he may lose any of those huge revenues that he gets from motorists.

[Lucifer Box]

Divide that by 4.54 ( litres to the gallon ) and you get 0.6kg carbon/litre.

Now that's more like it. Thanks, DaveB.

[Lucifer Box]

what's worse Brown Stuff dreads to think that he may lose any of those huge revenues that he gets from motorists.

Hence the rush to road charging to make sure that all those tax evaders not using petrol and diesel pay their fair share.

[Paddy]

What is also forgotten is that it cost less and uses less energy to refine Diesel.

If the government were serious on using green fuel; they would not tax veg oil, sunflower oil etc that are all carbon neutral. Britain is the only country to tax these oils for road use.