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Good thing we have been doing better than that for some time now.

>The MAN S80ME-C7 low speed diesel engines use 155 grams (5.5 oz) of fuel per kWh for an overall energy conversion efficiency of 54.4%

>The efficiency of a combined cycle gas turbine system can exceed 60%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine#Fuel_economy

In fact, it's shameful how underutilized diesel engines are in this world. Same with stirling engines.

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If you're allowed any scientific process regardless of engineering challenge and economics, thermally crack the crude down to hydrogen and pure carbon coke deposits, sequester the carbon for carbon credits, and pipe the H2 into fuel cells for near 100% efficiency.

(That's a marine engine though. Larger engines are more efficient.)

Maybe so, but 16% is misrepresentative of ICE's as a whole.

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