Methanol: The New Hydrogen

Technology Review.com ^ | March 27, 2006 | By Chandra Shekhar

[xarmydog]

Lets put the moonshiners in charge.180 proof will make anything run[unless people drink it]!They have the knowledge and expertise,but the Govt.wouldnt have A clue how to make it,but they would be standing there with their hand out looking for a slice of the pie.They can make it out of anything that ferments.Potatoes,corn,even some tree roots.

[rock_lobsta]

Put windmills on the Mall in Washington DC. . .Congress will be able to power the entire CONTINENT for decades to come. . . (evil grin)

---

Great idea, but this configuration takes up less space...

TV Camera ---- Windmill ---- Microphone ---- Chucky Schumer

[Bones75]

"Chemists have long known that methanol can be made by combining carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Such a process requires considerable energy, for example, to harvest the hydrogen from water, but this energy could come from carbon-free sources such as nuclear or wind power. "

Then why not just use the nuclear or wind power itself for energy?

[aculeus]

It was not unusual for Americans to go blind during Prohibition ... from drinking "wood alcohol" or methanol.

[GSlob]

Yep, but en masse?

[Protagoras]

I regularly burn methanol..... best fuel for an accohol lamp.

In that case, isn't it a methanol lamp?

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Methanol can be, and is being produced from so-called "stranded" natural gas. Natural gas supplies are "stranded" when they can not be shipped economically by a gas pipeline. (Too remote -- not large enough reserves to pay for the cost of constructing a pipeline.) The gas is converted on site to methanol, which is much, much cheaper to ship to market.

These "stranded" supplies of natural gas would just be wasted otherwise. Methanol production, in this case, is clearly beneficial.

[TXnMA]

There is nothing new about methanol as a high performancce internal combustion engine fuel...

 

[aculeus]

I'm not an expert on the matter but Google says Results 1 - 10 of about 18,800 for methanol poisoning prohibition . (0.45 seconds)

[bert]

...In that case, isn't it a methanol lamp?.....

Strictly speaking it is a (wood) alcohol lamp. As you will recall, methanol is wood alcohol.

[Protagoras]

As you will recall, methanol is wood alcohol.

You cannot recall that which you never knew.

I know more about the kind I drink.

[Lee'sGhost]

"Advances in methanol synthesis, coupled with improved fuel cell technology, could make it a viable alternative to gasoline."

Then again, it might not be. We just wanted to use up some ink and write a stupid article.

[Lee'sGhost]

Dear moderators;

Can you put a block on any reply in a thread about the use of hydrogen as an alternative that references the Hindenburg? Please!

[Robert357]

Good points

Thus, biodiesel from waste products, ethanol production, oil from ANWR, oil from shale, off-shore oil, expanded nuclear, etc., are all considered unrealistic answers to the problem of energy production because no one of these solutions appears to be the single answer.

However, if each of these potential sources can add modestly to our overall domestic energy production, we would greatly expand overall energy production, and be able, if we decided as a country, to reduce reliance on foreign energy imports.

I thought that my closing sentences were consistent with your point......
" The point is that different technologies are promising. We should not over promote any of them and we should develop all of them that we can, but not put too much faith on any of them as "the single solution to our future." "

[sitetest]

Dear Robert357,

Yeah, I was agreeing with you. That's why I quoted from your final sentence to start my post. ;-)

I was just noting that a lot of folks take a different tack.



sitetest

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Can you put a block on any reply in a thread about the use of hydrogen as an alternative that references the Hindenburg?

Argumentum ad censorship drives another nail into the hydrogen fuel coffin.

[RightWhale]

Also, any post that references the seventh planet.

[Robert357]

....just noting that a lot of folks take a different tack.

Sorry, now I understand.