[Robert357]

There are serious problems with a "hydrogen" fuel economy in terms of leakage when the hydrogen is in the form of gas.

Methanol is another good fuel. However, too often, we see promoters and people looking for the next "technological silver bullet" that will cure all of our energy problems.

Once upon a time in the US it was "hydro" (TVA, BPA, Hover Dam, etc.) At another time it was nuclear power. At another time it was central station coal fired power plants. Recently it has been natural gas fired combined cycle combustion turbines. Wind seems to be in vogue again as "the solution."

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."

[Antonello]

Methanol - Still a fossil fuel. Costs around $12/gal to refine. Crude oil is more abundant, safer to transport, and is easier to store than methane. Methane is more efficiently used as a natural gas than as a source for a gasoline alternative.

Methanol - not a good bet to be a viable motor fuel alternative.

[Bigs from Michigan]

One thing I noticed was the lack of any numbers as to the amount of land that would be required to grow the organic material, usually corn, as the basis for the fuel. It may look like a boon for the corn people, but i wonder just how much of the mid west would have too be put to corn to replace the gasoline used just in the US.

[freedomlover]

So methanol is an element now?

What's its symbol - Mth?

[GSlob]

Methanol is a tad too volatile, and also poisonous. One does not need to drink it - inhaling the vapors will do over prolonged exposure.

[AntiGuv]

FutureTechPing!

An emergent technologies list covering biomedical research, fusion power, nanotech, AI robotics, and other related fields. FReepmail to join or drop.

[bmwcyle]

bttt

[bert]

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

[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?

[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...

 

[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!