ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Synthetic fuels in the United States

Synthetic fuels are like make-believe fuels that people make in a lab. They are not found in nature like gasoline or diesel that come from the ground. Instead, they are made by mixing different things together, kind of like a recipe.

In the United States, people are interested in synthetic fuels because they are renewable. That means they can be made again and again without running out. This is important because the world is running out of natural resources like oil.

To make synthetic fuels, people start by using things like plants, coal, or natural gas. These things are called feedstocks. Next, they use a special process called gasification, which turns the feedstocks into a gas. Think of it like when mommy boils water and it turns into steam.

After gasification, they use another process to turn the gas into liquid fuel. This can either be done through Fischer-Tropsch synthesis or methanol-to-gasoline process. Once the liquid fuel is made, it can be used just like regular gasoline or diesel.

So, in summary, synthetic fuels are like magic fuels that people make in a lab using things like plants and coal. They are important because they are renewable and can be made again and again without running out.