The methanol alternative : Paper prepared for the symposium on global potentialities of gas fuels and feedstocks

Previous R&D work for the introduction of methanol as an alternative fuel for passenger cars, trucks, industrial burners and hause heating systems was based on the assumption of ever decreasing resources of fossil fuels. As a result of this work cars were developed with engines adapted to the different properties of methanol. Worldwide fleet test programs, and especially the Brazilian Alcohol Program, have clearly shown that alcohols are the best alternative to replace common fuels. Since that time, with the increasing demand for environmental protection and decreased energy supply difficulties, a second generation of methanol technologies has appeared. There are new prototype alcohol cars which are even superior to gasoline cars with modern catalytic converters. The use of a clean fuel further helps to avoid costly and complicated administrative controls. A similarly favourable situation exists for the introduction of methanol as a clean-burning fuel in heating and firingsystems. Methanol with its low carbon/hydrogen ratio represents a big step towards hydrogen technology with which lowest level pollution finally seems to be achievable.