Could steam-powered cars decrease the CO2 in the atmosphere?

Let’s use coal from vast reserves in Australia to power steam cars-awesome!

"Let’s use coal from vast reserves in Australia to power steam cars-awesome!"

Well, either this is somewhat opaque sarcasm or the article wasn't interesting enough to read. Firstly, of all available hydrocarbon solar storage, coal is the filthiest to use for reasons that go beyond just CO₂ and include heavy metals and other nasties. Secondly, 'heat' as in 'steam', or direct hydrocarbon oxidation as in an ICE, is 'momentum' and to extract that momentum to propel a vehicle, for example, requires essentially the same amount of CO₂ release whatever the means of conversion. Powering a vehicle using directly collected solar energy (momentum) as in solar panels, wind, hydro does not require a hydrocarbon intermediate nor releases 200 million year old sunlight stored in Carbon/Hydrogen bonds. There will almost certainly also be a downside recognised eventually for EVs but, compared to the primitive devices we use today, they are a godsend. But, given that 'road transport' accounts for only about 15% of total Human CO₂ emission, and total CO₂ emitted by industrial fossil sunlight usage continues to increase, Humanity is still just as screwed by the Greedy.

While getting around in steam-powered vehicles might make the air cleaner in the drivers’ own communities

Exactly the same argument can be made for electric vehicles as the electricity they run on is generated by burning fossil fuel as is the mining, processing, manufacture and distribution of these ecologically friendly virtue signalling devices.

Don’t get me wrong I fully recognise the need to reduce the environmental impact across the board but this simplistic marketing of battery EV’s is fundamentally flawed, disingenuous and ignores the impact of an wholly unthought out product placement. The whole policy structure internationally is posited on a flawed premise pushed by an ideologically motivated minority, the consequence of which will ultimately set back the very real changes needed to mitigate further environmental degradation.

What is actually needed is a much more logically thought through holistic policy approach instead of the agenda and marketing driven imposition that is happening currently.

Annoyingly condescending reply. It takes him eight paragraphs to finally get round to answering the simple question.

Englisc aspyrgend above I agree with.

I’m afraid that the article is the grandest piece of waffle so, sarcasm has to be the order of the day.

And my solar panels are cooling the house via battery storage as I write this...