Methanol — The OTHER Alcohol

One of the many ironies of the environmental movement is that in all the talk
and hype about renewable energy sources, we almost never hear about one of
the oldest and most versatile of all renewables — methanol. There are plenty of
discussions of hydrogen and ethanol economies and electric cars operating on
long life batteries, none of which are likely to be economical on a large scale
within the next 20 years, and yet almost no talk about the only viable alternative
to oil today. And no, that is not a misprint – unlike all other options on the table,
we have the option right now to completely replace petroleum oil with methanol.
How is this possible?

Methanol is the simplest of the alcohols and this is where many of its key
advantages are born. Its simplicity provides it with direct correlations to some of
the most prevalent raw materials on the planet – water, methane and carbon
dioxide. It is also directly related to synthesis gas, a blend of carbon monoxide
and hydrogen. The two simplest routes to creating methanol are:

1 part carbon monoxide + 2 parts hydrogen gas = 1 part methanol

1 part carbon dioxide + 3 parts hydrogen gas = 1 part methanol + 1 part water

Consequently, through a number of steps methanol can also be manufactured

from a combination of one part methane and one part water. This method, called
steam reforming, is the most commonly used technique today for
the manufacture of methanol for industrial purposes. The overall simplicity of
methanol lends itself well to a variety of other methods of manufacture:

 Gasification — Gasification of Natural gas, biomass, coal and oil shale can
produce synthesis gases from which methanol can be catalyzed. This method
can also be used to process waste materials that would otherwise be
landfilled. [Sources of Methanol]

 Stranded Gas — Emerging technologies are focusing on the capture of

stranded and flared natural gas and biogas sources. Stranded gas is gas
which occurs in quantities and locations unsuitable for traditional natural gas
production. In many cases, this gas is flared or burned directly into the
atmosphere just to get rid of the gas as a safety measure. Portable systems
to convert this stranded gas directly to methanol and other liquids are just
hitting the marketplace.

 Carbon Recycling — While many are promoting the sequestration of carbon

exhausts, where access to hydrogen (water) is reasonable, the carbon
exhausts can be recycled into methanol using known processes. As shown
above, both carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are directly convertible to
methanol. This carbon can come from captured industrial exhausts or from
carbon captured from the atmosphere using Synthetic Trees.
 These techniques also point to the natural logic of a methanol economy over a
petroleum one. Large scale production of methanol can be based predominantly
upon the processing of waste streams. Municipal and agricultural wastes can be
gasified into methanol and where that is not practical, the biogas released
through their natural decomposition can be captured and converted. Exhausts
from the industrial and commercial burning of fuels can be captured and
reprocessed into additional methanol. And where these methods cannot produce
enough supply to meet demand, natural gas, coal and oil shales, the most
prevalent natural hydrocarbons in the United States, can be processed to make
up the difference. But where the fun really starts is in what you can do with
methanol once you have it.

Transportation Fuels

The dominant use of petroleum oil today in the United States is for transportation
fuels. What sets methanol apart from the other alcohols in this role is its
versatility that comes from its simplicity. Straight methanol is an alcohol that can
be used directly in an Alcohol Engine, similar to a gasoline engine but typically
with higher compression and special plumbing to deal with methanol's being
more corrosive. Many motorsports mandate the use of methanol as it works well
in high performance engines and is the least volatile of the major fuels in case of
accidents.

Methanol can also be used in spark ignition engines as a blended fuel. Most Flex
Fuel Vehicles (FFV) in the United States can use a methanol/gasoline blend
referred to as M85 (85% methanol, 15% gasoline). The FFVs currently on the
road are really just standard gasoline engines with special plumbing so these will
typically experience a performance decrease with M85. A better option for
existing and older vehicles might be to use ExxonMobil's MTG technology to
manufacture actual gasoline from methanol.

Methanol can also play a critical role with compression ignition engines, typically
called diesel engines. DiMethyl Ether (DME) is created by dehydrating methanol
and performs similar to diesel, propane and LPG in most applications. Minor
modifications are required but most existing diesel, propane and LPG systems
can be converted to DME economically. Methanol is also commonly used in the
manufacturing of biodiesel, with most biodiesels being around 10% methanol by
volume.

Methanol Fuel Cells

One of the more exciting applications for methanol is in fuel cells. A fuel cell is a
device designed to harness the electrical energy generated by the chemical
reaction of the fuel (an internal combustion engine harnesses the thermal
energy, not the electrical). The fuel inside a fuel cell reacts with an oxidizing
agent in the presence of a catalyst, causing a reaction that releases electrical
energy. While this may sound modern and high-tech, the science behind the fuel
cell originated in 1838 with the first working prototype operating in 1839. Most
 space programs have been using fuel cells of varying types of fuel to provide
electricity and drinking water for manned missions since the 1960s.

There are currently two different types of methanol fuel cells in use, reforming
cells which extract the hydrogen from the methanol, and direct methanol fuel
cells(DMFC). Methanol is ideal for these types of applications as it contains a lot
of hydrogen (more hydrogen by volume than liquid hydrogen) and is
biodegradable (methanol in a natural environment will typically decompose in
seven days or less compared to up to two years for gasoline).

While this technology is still early in the developmental stage, its potential is
immense. Commercial methanol fuel cells are already entering the marketplace
in applications requiring portable electrical power such as cell phones and laptop
computers. Larger versions are being deployed for material handling systems,
such as forklifts, to supplement and recharge battery packs. Vehicle prototypes
are already being operated; few remember that Chrysler unveiled an operational
100hp methanol fuel cell vehicle almost 10 years ago. Toshiba, Panasonic,
Yamaha, Motorola, Hitachi, Samsung and DuPont are just some of the
international companies already involved in methanol fuel cell production.

Future Scenarios

To understand the potential for the conversion to a Methanol Economy from our
petroleum dependent economy, it would probably help to consider some
scenarios for the production, distribution and uses of the product. Methanol’s
primary advantage over other renewable fuels is in its ability to be integrated into
something resembling today’s fuel infrastructure. Most of the technology to
convert to a true Methanol Economy already exists.

We’ll start with production. Obviously we could build a bunch of massive

methanol plants but there are other options available that would likely be more
suitable for fuels (large refineries would still be needed for chemical and gasoline
production but these will typically be conversions of existing refinery
infrastructure). We currently have a massive coal infrastructure in the United
States and this is one of the easiest and lowest cost feedstocks available for
methanol. Using what some call Clean Coal Technology (gasification), existing
coal power plants can be converted to producing both electricity and methanol.
The gasification process also opens the door for the use of biomass and oil shale
in the same infrastructure for both power and fuel.

Another production option lies in the portable production units being

developed for stranded gas applications. Many farms are now incorporating
biogas processing systems to add additional revenue streams to the farm. Biogas
is also a byproduct of waste water treatment. As with methane, biogas can be
reprocessed into methanol using similar systems. These portable production units
could be deployed to the farms and produce methanol and ideally DME on site. In
the case of farms, fuel delivery trucks already make regular stops at farms to
deliver the fuel necessary for operating equipment. In a Methanol Economy,
similar trucks would be used except they would be picking up fuel from the farms
instead of delivering. Future versions of the portable units might even incorporate
modules to allow for the processing of syngas, allowing the farmer to add energy
crops, wood biomass and plant Stover to enhance fuel production using small-
scale gasifiers.

After picking up the fuel from the various production units, it will be transported
to a fuel station that will bear a remarkable resemblance to today’s typical gas
station. In various locations around the Midwest today (as of February 2011, 215
stations in 13 states), a new type of pump is being used called a Blender Pump.
This pump allows fuel to be mixed at the pump instead of at the refinery. The
current pumps are mixing E85 ethanol and gasoline for various blends but a
second generation pump mixing methanol and methanol-derived gasoline is
certainly feasible. The system requires only the special pump and two storage
tanks – one with the gas and one with the methanol. The user would then be able
to pick a blend or could select either fuel to be pumped straight without mixing.
This would allow a straight gasoline for older and classic cars as well as 2-cycle
engines where alcohol can be problematic as well as a straight methanol for true
alcohol engines and fuel cell vehicles.

Returning to our farm, or other rural or remote residence or small business, we

can get a sense of the true value of a Methanol Economy. Stored in a special but
reasonable tank, methanol can be directly streamed into a DMFC for producing
electricity for homes and businesses. Add a “to be developed” dehydration
module to the mix and we would now have DME for powering heavy equipment,
fueling our furnace for heat, and powering our stove for cooking. Or for a
commercial site, the DME might be used for powering material handling
equipment. Now, if you happened to visit the previous links for DMFCs, then
you’ve probably learned that a DMFC exhausts carbon dioxide and water, two
elements which can be combined with existing technology to produce methanol –
add a solar or wind system to generate low cost power to electrolyze the water
and we can recycle the methanol from the DMFC under the right conditions.

Which leads us to yet another possibility – with the search for ways to balance
the output from the thousands of wind turbines being installed throughout the
US, why not methanol? A massive DMFC could provide stable power output while
the wind isn’t blowing; when the winds come about, the excess power can recycle
exhausts back into methanol. A similar possibility exists with solar power or really
any given type of intermittent renewable energy.

The reforming fuel cell presents an entirely different idea. Since methanol is an
excellent carrier of hydrogen (carrying more hydrogen by volume than actual
liquid hydrogen), methanol could conceivably offer a future clean fuel for aviation
markets. Methanol cannot be used directly as the fuel in modern turbofans
because these engines cannot operate efficiently at ground level (they are
designed to be efficient at altitude and speed). But why couldn’t we design a
reforming system into the plane to convert the methanol to hydrogen, as is done
with a reforming fuel cell? Hydrogen-fueled engines have been in existence for
years – they haven’t been practical due to fuel supply problems. The proper
research would need to be performed but reformed methanol could be the
answer here.
 These examples provide little more than a glimpse into what is possible within
the construct of a Methanol Economy. For more information from true experts on
this topic, I highly recommend the work of Nobel Laureate Dr. George Olah and
his team in the book Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy. The basic
technology to manufacture methanol literally from air and water are being
finalized in laboratories today. In a future time, air passing through a
manufactured appliance will have its carbon dioxide removed and chemically
combined with hydrogen produced from ocean water via geothermal or nuclear
energy. At this point, the potential of methanol becomes virtually limitless.

Methanol vs. Ethanol — The Non-Debate

A final word on this subject needs to be said and that is in regards to which is the
preferred alternative fuel of the future, methanol or ethanol. While I am
obviously biased in favor of methanol, the correct answer to the question is both,
not either one or the other. Each has advantages over the other; each has
limitations compared to the other. The best economy is the one that offers both,
and even other fuels, in a manner where the consumer can choose which is best
for his/her application.

Ethanol is arguably a better straight-up liquid fuel for use in optimized internal
combustion engines; methanol is a better option to replace everything else that
petroleum is used for today and offers more options for future use. Both options
are significantly better than imported petroleum/gasoline. Both products, using
the right methods and technologies, can be produced on a renewable basis in
larger quantities and at lower prices than gasoline. Neither is particularly good at
all applications while each is excellent at certain roles. We don’t need to choose
one over the other – we need both. The sooner both sides understand this and
work together, the better off all of society will be.

Conclusions

In today’s world of ever-rising gas and oil prices, more and more Americans are
beginning to understand the need for an alternative to the status quo. An
alternative to conventional petroleum is needed now more than ever. The only
current near-term option for replacing large portions of the existing petroleum
economy is methanol. Again, I have no quarrel with those who support ethanol
and I believe it should continue to be part of the long-term picture.

But the bottom line is there are millions of engines already in service and for
these engines, methanol offers the solutions needed to keep them running.
Methanol can be dehydrated for use in compression ignition engines and it can be
remanufactured directly into conventional gasoline – no other renewable has
these capabilities. Methanol can also be used today as a feedstock for the
production of chemicals and plastics – another role most other renewable options
are incapable of filling.
More importantly, an investment in methanol to satisfy current needs does not
sacrifice future possibilities. Existing engines, specialized for methanol, already
exist in many off-road applications. Fuel cells powered by methanol are already
part of an expanding commercial market. Viable feedstocks for large-scale
manufacturing of methanol are already available and are reasonable in price.
More renewable feedstocks are clearly possible. America has a problem and quite
clearly, methanol can and should be a big part of the solution.