『Abstract
For more than a decade, Nobel laureate George Olah and coworkers
have advocated the Methanol Economy - replacing petroleum-based
fuels and chemicals with methanol and methanol-derivatives - as
a path to sustainable development. A first step to this vision
appears to be occurring in China. In the past five years, China
has quickly built an industry of coal-based methanol and dimethyl
ether (DME) that is competitive in price with petroleum-based
fuels. Methanol fuels offer many advantages, including a high
octane rating and cleaner-burning properties than gasoline. Methanol
also has some disadvantages. A coal-based Methanol Economy could
enhance water shortages in China, increase net carbon dioxide
emissions, and add volatility to regional and global coal prices.
China's rapidly expanding Methanol Economy provides an interesting
experiment for what could happen elsewhere if methanol is widely
adopted, as proposed by Olah and researchers before him.
Keywords: Methanol economy; China; Coal-based chemical』
1. Introduction
2. Methanol policy in China
3. Implications
3.1. Water resources
2.2. Energy security for fuels
3.3. Carbon dioxide emissions
3.4. Risks of leakage and explosion
3.5. Urban air quality
3.6. Drinking water safety
3.7. Global energy economy
4. Discussion and future prospects
Acknowledgments
References