We want to continue emphasizing the extraordinary importance that the technology for converting both our abundant coal and coal's misunderstood shadow, Carbon Dioxide, into the versatile liquid fuel and gasoline precursor, Methanol, could have for the economies and the citizens of West Virginia and the United States.
The enclosed link leads to the web site of the "Institute For The Analysis Of Global Security".
We, honestly, have no idea who they are and cannot, through independent third parties, either elaborate on their identity, or confirm their bona fides.
However, the information they present on the industry and technology of Methanol production agrees in general, and in most specifics, with other summaries we've seen, and more information can be accessed via the link to Georgetown University included near the end of the excerpt, below:
(All emphases added.)
"Sources of Methanol
Today, methanol is produced in the U.S. for mostly nonfuel usage. There are eighteen U.S. methanol production plants, with a total annual capacity of over 2.6 billion gallons. Today most of the methanol in the U.S. is produced from natural gas. Shifting to methanol as our major transportation fuel requires greatly upping production. The biggest potential source of methanol in the U.S. is coal. (Oil can also be used to produce methanol, but this would defeat the purpose!) We've come a long way since the days when coal usage was synonymous with terrible pollution. These days plants using coal are among the cleanest power sources in the U.S. And plants using coal to produce methanol are the cleanest by far. By a simple reaction between coal and steam, a gas mixture called syn-gas (synthesis gas) is formed. The components of this mixture are carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which through an additional chemical reaction are converted to methanol.
A major powerplant in Tampa, Florida, built under the auspices of the Department of Energy, has proven the feasibility of converting coal to syn-gas on a very large scale. This process does not release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Although the syn-gas in this plant is utilized as fuel for gas turbine electric generators, the same process can be taken a step further, by reacting the carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the syn-gas over a catalyst, to produce methanol on a large scale. Not only are the emissions of this syn-gas plant well below regulatory limits - it is one of the cleanest coal-based power plants in the world - but the sulfur content of the coal is utilized as raw material for fertilizer production, rather than being emitted to the atmosphere as a pollutant.
In Kingsport, Tennessee, a plant participating in the Department of Energy's Clean Coal Technology Program combines both processes, for clean mass production of methanol from coal at under $0.50 a gallon.
Today, methanol is produced in the U.S. for mostly nonfuel usage. There are eighteen U.S. methanol production plants, with a total annual capacity of over 2.6 billion gallons. Today most of the methanol in the U.S. is produced from natural gas. Shifting to methanol as our major transportation fuel requires greatly upping production. The biggest potential source of methanol in the U.S. is coal. (Oil can also be used to produce methanol, but this would defeat the purpose!) We've come a long way since the days when coal usage was synonymous with terrible pollution. These days plants using coal are among the cleanest power sources in the U.S. And plants using coal to produce methanol are the cleanest by far. By a simple reaction between coal and steam, a gas mixture called syn-gas (synthesis gas) is formed. The components of this mixture are carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which through an additional chemical reaction are converted to methanol.
A major powerplant in Tampa, Florida, built under the auspices of the Department of Energy, has proven the feasibility of converting coal to syn-gas on a very large scale. This process does not release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Although the syn-gas in this plant is utilized as fuel for gas turbine electric generators, the same process can be taken a step further, by reacting the carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the syn-gas over a catalyst, to produce methanol on a large scale. Not only are the emissions of this syn-gas plant well below regulatory limits - it is one of the cleanest coal-based power plants in the world - but the sulfur content of the coal is utilized as raw material for fertilizer production, rather than being emitted to the atmosphere as a pollutant.
In Kingsport, Tennessee, a plant participating in the Department of Energy's Clean Coal Technology Program combines both processes, for clean mass production of methanol from coal at under $0.50 a gallon.
Biomass can be converted to syn-gas by a process called partial oxidation, and later converted to methanol. Biomass is organic material, such as urban wood wastes, primary mill residues, forest residues, agricultural residues, and dedicated energy crops (e.g. sugar cane and sugar beets,) that can be made into fuel. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates 2.45 billion metric tons a year of biomass are available for U.S. fuel production. One ton can be converted to 186 gallons (721 liters) of methanol.
(Such practice would also, one must presume, offer the additional value of "Carbon Offsets".)
In the United States there are numerous unused nuclear reactors. These reactors could be brought into electricity production within a relatively short timeframe. The electrical energy produced by these reactors could be utilized to convert water into hydrogen by one of several processes. This hydrogen could be further reacted with carbon dioxide to produce methanol. It is time to openly and thoroughly examine the feasibility of using our built and unutilized nuclear infrastructure to produce hydrogen based fuels. While nuclear energy is feared by many, it is a greatly misunderstood resource. Nuclear power is utilized as a prime energy source in countries like France and Sweden. In the United States, where nuclear energy supplies about 20% of our electrical power, not one American has been killed in a nuclear accident involving radiation exposure. On the other hand, thousands of Americans have been killed as a result of our energy dependence, and the funds that our oil dependence funnels to terrorist sponsoring regimes.
In the United States there are numerous unused nuclear reactors. These reactors could be brought into electricity production within a relatively short timeframe. The electrical energy produced by these reactors could be utilized to convert water into hydrogen by one of several processes. This hydrogen could be further reacted with carbon dioxide to produce methanol. It is time to openly and thoroughly examine the feasibility of using our built and unutilized nuclear infrastructure to produce hydrogen based fuels. While nuclear energy is feared by many, it is a greatly misunderstood resource. Nuclear power is utilized as a prime energy source in countries like France and Sweden. In the United States, where nuclear energy supplies about 20% of our electrical power, not one American has been killed in a nuclear accident involving radiation exposure. On the other hand, thousands of Americans have been killed as a result of our energy dependence, and the funds that our oil dependence funnels to terrorist sponsoring regimes.
(Some interesting thoughts, but we're not fans of nuclear energy. The following might be, from our point of view, the better course to intensively develop, especially given West Virginia's wind and hydro power potential.)
Electricity can also be generated by solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy sources (while these resources supply a much smaller amount of energy than nuclear power and can't supplant our other energy sources, they are an important supplement we should fully utilize.) As just mentioned, electricity can be used to convert water into hydrogen, which is then reacted with carbon dioxide to form methanol.
More information:
Georgetown University Advanced Vehicle Development Program: An Investigation of the Feasibility of Coal-Based Methanol for Application in Transportation Fuel Cell Systems, April 2004 - Summary, Full report "
Electricity can also be generated by solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy sources (while these resources supply a much smaller amount of energy than nuclear power and can't supplant our other energy sources, they are an important supplement we should fully utilize.) As just mentioned, electricity can be used to convert water into hydrogen, which is then reacted with carbon dioxide to form methanol.
More information:
Georgetown University Advanced Vehicle Development Program: An Investigation of the Feasibility of Coal-Based Methanol for Application in Transportation Fuel Cell Systems, April 2004 - Summary, Full report "