Steel Guru is a trade publication serving India, Asia and the Middle East. The article explains, perhaps better than we have previously, the many benefits of producing methanol, for use as a liquid fuel, from coal.
We had alerted you to the Inner Mongolia CoalTL plant, but the detail in this very recent publication helps to confirm our earlier reports.
Some excerpts:
"Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The well-to-wheel greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for methanol (made from natural gas) when used as a vehicle fuel are very similar in magnitude to GHGs from using gasoline. Methanol made from coal will have similar GHG emissions if the excess carbon dioxide is sequestered. Methanol made from biomass and other renewable feedstocks will have very low GHGs or even GHG credits because emissions of methane (a strong GHG) released from these sources are reduced. Vehicles designed specifically for methanol will emit lower GHGs due to their higher efficiency compared to gasoline vehicles."
"Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The well-to-wheel greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for methanol (made from natural gas) when used as a vehicle fuel are very similar in magnitude to GHGs from using gasoline. Methanol made from coal will have similar GHG emissions if the excess carbon dioxide is sequestered. Methanol made from biomass and other renewable feedstocks will have very low GHGs or even GHG credits because emissions of methane (a strong GHG) released from these sources are reduced. Vehicles designed specifically for methanol will emit lower GHGs due to their higher efficiency compared to gasoline vehicles."
(So, combine coal with biomass, such as algae "fed" with coal plant emissions.)
"Methanol vs. Ethanol
Methanol and ethanol have similar advantageous properties when used as a vehicle fuel. Ethanol is an excellent co-solvent for methanol when used in low-level blends. E85 FFVs could be modified easily and inexpensively (less than $100) to accept methanol either as M85 or in high-level blends with ethanol. Methanol’s higher octane than ethanol creates the opportunity for more efficient operation of E85 FFVs. Production of methanol requires less water than ethanol and avoids the “food vs. fuel” debate. Using mature technology for biomass gasification, one ton of forest thinnings removed to help prevent forest fires can be converted into 160 to 170 gallons of methanol fuel.(Conversion efficiency of coal would be even better.) By comparison, one ton of corn or other land-intensive biomass crops may someday generate 60-80 gallons of cellulosic ethanol."
Methanol and ethanol have similar advantageous properties when used as a vehicle fuel. Ethanol is an excellent co-solvent for methanol when used in low-level blends. E85 FFVs could be modified easily and inexpensively (less than $100) to accept methanol either as M85 or in high-level blends with ethanol. Methanol’s higher octane than ethanol creates the opportunity for more efficient operation of E85 FFVs. Production of methanol requires less water than ethanol and avoids the “food vs. fuel” debate. Using mature technology for biomass gasification, one ton of forest thinnings removed to help prevent forest fires can be converted into 160 to 170 gallons of methanol fuel.(Conversion efficiency of coal would be even better.) By comparison, one ton of corn or other land-intensive biomass crops may someday generate 60-80 gallons of cellulosic ethanol."
(Again, as we've previously explained, it makes little economic/environmental sense to devote agricultural land needed for food production to crops intended for ethanol manufacture - especially when, if ethanol is wanted, it, too, can be synthesized from coal.)
The “Methanol Economy”
An immediately implementable alternative to the “Hydrogen Economy” is the “Methanol Economy” where methanol serves as an energy carrier and source for production of petrochemicals. Methanol can be produced from carbon dioxide, which can be captured at the source of fossil fuel combustion (e.g., coal power plants) (Their comment - not ours.) or mined directly from the air, and water. All of the carbon dioxide converted to methanol is recycled, so there are zero net carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of the methanol, and the water used as the hydrogen source can also be recycled. When nuclear or renewable energy is used to capture the carbon dioxide and produce the methanol, the net carbon dioxide emissions from producing methanol are also zero.
The “Methanol Economy”
An immediately implementable alternative to the “Hydrogen Economy” is the “Methanol Economy” where methanol serves as an energy carrier and source for production of petrochemicals. Methanol can be produced from carbon dioxide, which can be captured at the source of fossil fuel combustion (e.g., coal power plants) (Their comment - not ours.) or mined directly from the air, and water. All of the carbon dioxide converted to methanol is recycled, so there are zero net carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of the methanol, and the water used as the hydrogen source can also be recycled. When nuclear or renewable energy is used to capture the carbon dioxide and produce the methanol, the net carbon dioxide emissions from producing methanol are also zero.