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What is climate-neutral methanol?
Climate neutral methanol, also known as green methanol or renewable methanol, refers to methanol produced from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind or hydro to ensure a net-zero carbon footprint. It is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional methanol, which is typically derived from fossil fuels.
Climate neutral methanol has various applications and benefits. It can serve as a sustainable fuel for transportation, either as a direct replacement for gasoline or as a fuel additive.
By producing methanol from renewable sources and offsetting or removing carbon dioxide emissions, climate neutral methanol contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. It offers a way to decarbonize sectors that rely heavily on fossil fuels, such as transportation, industry and construction.
What is the benefit of storing energy with Methanol?
Methanol is an ideal way to store hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Methanol is formed by combining hydrogen and CO2. The result is a liquid which can be affordably stored and distributed with existing infrastructure without energy loss over the long periods of time. This makes methanol perfect for seasonal storage of excess wind and solar energy, or decoupling energy production and consumption.
Compared to hydrogen or lithium batteries, which have a significant energy loss over longer periods of time and require new specialized infrastructure, methanol has the potential to be an affordable alternative by leveraging existing infrastructure and storing energy long-term without energy loss.
Is Methanol safe?
Safety considerations and regulations are important to implement any fuel. However, Methanol offers several key benefits compared to hydrogen and fossil fuels. For example, methanol offers lower explosion risks compared to hydrogen or gas, due to it's narrower flammability range which means it need a greater energy ignition source before it combusts. This means less specialized existing infrastructure and equipment is required for transport and storage.
In case of an accidental spill, Methanol quickly dilutes with water. In large bodies of water this poses less risks to aquatic organisms compared to persistent oilslicks.
How does methanol compare to heating oil, gas and wood pellets?
The choice of fuel depends on many factors, from costs, availability, energy efficiency, personal preferences, regulations and environmental considerations. Methanol has a higher energy compared to wood pellets, yet a lower energy density compared to heating oil. Renewable methanol is a cleaner energy source, which when combusted releases fewer Green-House-Gases (GHG) such as NOx, SOx and CO2 with zero-fine-particles helping reduce air pollution and improve air quality.
What is the Methanol Economy?
The concept of the methanol economy was popularized by Nobelprize Winner George A. Olah, a Nobel laureate in chemistry.
The methanol economy refers to a potential future in which methanol becomes a key energy carrier and replacement for traditional fossil fuels in various applications.
Where can I find more information about methanol?
Find out more about methanol, via the Methanol Institute https://www.methanol.org/