Santa Barbara-based Carbon Sciences says it has invented a breakthrough process to turn carbon dioxide into useable fuels, but its technology might have a long way to go before it’s ready to change the world.

Carbon Sciences is raising its profile at a time when solutions to a global energy and climate change crisis appear one of the few bright spots in business and represent key elements of President Obama’s national agenda. The company has benefited from that interest with rising share prices.

“Carbon Sciences was framed with the idea that there’s this extraordinary feedstock of carbon dioxide available,” said Byron Elton, president and chief operating officer of the company and onetime leader of KEYT, Santa Barbara’s ABC affiliate. “The Holy Grail was always fuel. We just couldn’t figure it out.”

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