OK, it sounds really strange to be talking about recycling carbon dioxide -- but it could happen. Imagine not sucking fossil fuel petroleum out of the ground, but actually MAKING it with carbon dioxide. So either extract CO2 from the atmosphere (admittedly that would cost a bit), or pipe the CO2 generated by primary fossil fuel energy production to a second plant where the CO2 is put to work making more oil -- the biggest problematic thing in this 1st and 2nd law of thermodynamics nightmare would be finding the power to run the second process.
Now, I have at length chided the advocates of solar and wind power about the fact that solar don't work good when the sun don't shine, and wind don't work good when the wind don't blow -- but I can see using these in production mode to make renewable oil. And if the net result is CO2 neutral, then maybe, just maybe, we have something here.)
Links to more about it:
Researchers Close In On Technology For Making Renewable Petroleum
Renewable Petroleum a Possibility?
U of M[innesota] researchers close in on technology for making renewable "petroleum" using bacteria, sunlight and carbon dioxide
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