Methanol Economy Article Index for
Methanol 		Website Links For
Economy 		 

Information About

Methanol Economy
  CATEGORIES ABOUT METHANOL ECONOMY
   
fuels
   
peak oil
   
economies
   
environmental chemistry
   
SHOPPER'S DELIGHT
 
Shop For:  
Department
Price Minimum:
Price Maximum:
      



The disadvantages of methanol are:
  • high energy costs associated with generating hydrogen (needed to synthesize methanol)

  • generation in itself not clean

  • presently generated from Syngas , still dependence on fossil fuels.



The disadvantages of hydrogen versus methanol are:
  • hydrogen is volatile and explosive

  • required infrastructure prohibitively expensive

  • volumetric Power Density one third of that of gasoline


In the methanol economy methanol is synthesized:
  • by Carbon Dioxide recycling with hydrogen or with water in an electrochemical process

  • by oxidation of Methane (present in as yet untapped Methane Clathrate s) with oxygen and a suitable catalyst


Methanol can be used directly as fuel or in a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell .

Methanol economy advantages compared to hydrogen:
  • efficient energy storage

  • serves as a raw material for the chemical industry

  • can be blended with gasoline

  • no large investment in infrastructure

  • user friendly and safe


Methanol economy advantages compared to ethanol:
  • can be made from any organic material using the proven Fischer Tropsch method of synthesis gas catalysis

  • can compete with and complement ethanol in a diversified energy marketplace


Methanol economy disadvantages:
  • energy density one half of that of gasoline

  • corrosive to aluminum, importantly aluminum parts in engine fuel-intake systems

  • hydrophilic: attracts water, which can create solid jelly-like obstructions in fuel-intake systems (in cold weather), which is corrosive, and which can separate into a non-combustible component

  • methanol, as an alcohol, increases the permeability of some plastics to fuel vapors (e.g. high-density polyethylene). {Link without Title} This property of methanol has the possibility of increasing emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from fuel, which contributes to increased tropospheric Ozone and possibly human exposure.

  • low volatity in cold weather: methanol-fueled engines can be difficult to start and run inefficiently until warmed up

  • methanol is a developmental and neurological toxin, though typical dietary and occupational levels of exposure are not likely to induce significant health effects. The a National Toxicology Program panel recently concluded that blood concentrations below approx. 10 mg/L there is minimal concern for adverse health effects. {Link without Title} Other literature summaries are also available (see, for instance, Reproductive Toxicology 18 (2004) 303–390).

  • methanol is a liquid: this creates a greater fire risk; unlike hydrogen and other gases, methanol leaks do not dissipate

  • methanol accidenally released from leaking underground fuel storage tanks may undergo relatively rapid groundwater transport and contaminate well water, although this risk has not been thoroughly studied. The history of the fuel additive methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) as a groundwater contaminant has highlighted the importance of asessing the potential impacts of fuel and fuel additives on multiple environmental media. {Link without Title}


A source of carbon dioxide in a recycling process can be from the Earth's Atmosphere but given the low concentration (0.037%) it would require the development of an efficient Semipermeable Membrane technology. Other sources are the exhaust of fossil fuel power plants.


REFERENCES



EXTERNAL LINKS