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<br /> Ivlethanol~l~85 ~ ing special materials for delivery and storage. Methanol, with reducing methane emissionsfromlandfills and much ~ Com reSS
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<br /> Natural Gas
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<br /> Methanol is methyl alcohol, commonly called wood alto- in addition, has only 51 percent of the BTU content ofgas- of this methane is used to produce energy. As of
<br />December ~ Natural gas can be used to fuel internal-combustion
<br /> hol; M85 is a blend of 85 percent methanol and 15 per- oline by volume, which means its fuel economy is worse
<br /> 2004, there were more than 325 operational landfill-gas ~ engines. The most practical strategy is to handle it as com-
<br /> cent gasoline. Methanol is produced through a steam and ;than ethanol's. As with ethanol, any potential increase in energy projects in the States and more than 6001andfills
<br /> ;pressed natural gas (CNG). Natural gas is typically found
<br /> j ';',~I catalyst process that reconstitutes methane gas as meth- i efficiency from methanol's high octane is negated by the deemed to be good candidates forprojects.
<br />But the quanti- ~ in underground deposits, often with petroleum, and is
<br /> ' ~ anol. Currently, virtually all methanol produced in the ;need for FFVs to remain driveable on gasoline only. The ties involved are small. Methane also can be produced
<br />by obtained bydrilling. To use natural gas, the methane tom-
<br /> . States uses methane derived from natural gas. However, i lower energy content and the higher cost to build metha- processing biomass such as grass clippings, sawdust
<br />and ponent-which makes up 50 to 100 percent of natural
<br /> ~ methane also can be obtained from coal and from biogas, nol refineries compared with ethanol distilleries have rel- other cellulosic sources,
<br /> which is generated by fermenting organic matter-includ- egated methanol and M85 to the back seat. Moreover, pro- ;gas-must be processed to remove contaminants
<br />as well
<br /> Based on these important differences between ethanol as other useful fuels such as butane and propane.
<br /> ing byproducts of sewage and manure. i ducing methanol from natural gas results in a net increase and methanol-not to mention the power of the farm lob- Case
<br />For: With an octane rating of up to 130, CNG has
<br /> ' ~ Case For: Methanol is a potent fuel with an octane rat- of COZ, hastening global warming. Unlike , by-methanol has receded into ethanol's shadow as a gaso-
<br /> ;the potential to optimize an engine's thermodynamic effi-
<br /> ing of 100 that allows for higher compression and great- ;ethanol, the process liberates buried line replacement. The lastM85 FFV in the States was sold in ciency
<br />through a high compression ratio.
<br /> er efficiency than gasoline. Pure methanol isn't volatile ;carbon that otherwise wouldn't :
<br /> ~ 1999. However, methanol maystill have a future as a fuel :However, many CNG vehicles are
<br /> enough to start a cold engine easily and when it does burn, i reach the atmosphere. Nearly every major electronics manufacturer plans to :able to run on
<br />either CNG or
<br /> ' ! it does so with a dangerously invisible flame. Blending gas- i Outlook: Cloudy. The
<br /> ~ release portable electronics powered
<br /> . : •
<br /> gasoline, which obviates the
<br /> oline with methanol to create M85 solves both problems. ;EPA's Landfill Methane Out- _
<br /> by methanol fuel cell 'thin
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<br /> Case Against: Methanol is extremely corrosive, requir- ;reach Program is tasked atan advantage. Acc rd
<br /> thenexttwoyeats. ing to the DOE, a
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<br /> Illif ~ ~ 18.190 ~ ~ : i1
<br /> r 53 bushels of cu ft of - ,r' I
<br /> 1 16 5-gat. r 1
<br /> _ corn:anda naturalgas,and jugs Of used 10;fi50 y~• ~ ~ ~ 16,000 J•
<br /> • ~ half-barrel of a half barrel vegetable ~ cu, fl. of ` r R "
<br /> 1 About 1 ton cu. ft. of i
<br /> + ~ o crude oil; . of crude oil, ail ' 1
<br /> ndturalgas of coal hydrogen
<br /> I L~' , . $2.41/GAt , $2.89/Gnt ~ ~ ~
<br /> i $3 40/CAI. . $1 r~cCe $3.66/GOE , $11/r~E
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<br /> E851 M85/
<br /> 8100 y
<br /> + Ethanol Methanol Compressed H dro en
<br /> Biodiesel Nd#llral Gas Electricity Fuel Cell
<br /> CURRENTTAURUS MID-'40sTAURUS VWGOLFANDNEW HS?l,VDAClVIICGX.can LATE-'905 HONDA HY-WIRE CONCEPT
<br /> • + • FFV burns 85% etha- FFV ran on M85 sold In g~~7~ TDI are the . tie refueled:athome-
<br /> + nol and 15%gasoline. California in a limited mileage champs of all ' a5ctlutd aitq ~Ni3 vehi- EY PLUS got about uses compressed hydro- 4
<br /> 100 highway miles on a gen, which costs about
<br /> + ~ (The gas gets the engine E number of stations, and conventional cars, sip- ~t~ with a h4r0@tom-
<br /> + • started on cold days.) also to some dedicated nearly full charge of 20 four times as much as
<br /> This mix provides about fleets, Low BTU con- Ping diesel fuel at a pre3sor Buf.Crosstrrg ~ kilowatt-hours (kwh): gasoline, although the ;
<br /> ,1 ~ 15ok less mileage than tent of methanol means miserly rate, (And they :.tfiettluntryin adedi- The vehicle's NiMH bat- [t0E pro)ects prices
<br /> can burn 8100; although taxed GNG car ~irould tery pack had a total .below $2/GGE by 2012.
<br /> straightgasoAne,but 35%fewermiles per VW only,recommends betough.There.aren't capacity of 26.5kwh. New technology will
<br /> burns cleanly and gallon. Made from B5J B20 would lower is fofi tlf CNG`st~~lonst' Electrics do better in double vehicle range
<br /> ' reduces pollution. natural gas, methanol i
<br /> the cost of the trip to and mar?y are,>tgr #legt• traffle, thanks to regen- by raising tank pressure
<br /> ' burns cleanly. t than 5183, use only.. erative braking. to 10,000 psi.
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