Methanol economy

<p>The methanol economy is a suggested future <a href="/facts/Economy/okLWSsEY">economy</a> in which <a href="/facts/Methanol/EIfpoNCg">methanol</a> and <a href="/facts/Dimethyl_ether/XSo4RBvc">dimethyl ether</a> replace <a href="/facts/Fossil_fuel/BPgxAqB7">fossil fuels</a> as a means of <a href="/facts/Energy_storage/9GWtAPeb">energy storage</a>, ground transportation fuel, and <a href="/facts/Raw_material/cthCpclF">raw material</a> for synthetic <a href="/facts/Hydrocarbon/Dcg95Ju5">hydrocarbons</a> and their products. It offers an alternative to the proposed <a href="/facts/Hydrogen_economy/TNdU0eR2">hydrogen economy</a> or <a href="/facts/Ethanol_economy/E1m7CDM4">ethanol economy</a>, although these concepts are not exclusive. Methanol can be produced from a variety of sources including fossil fuels (<a href="/facts/Natural_gas/9MYQ7NAP">natural gas</a>, <a href="/facts/Coal/83kV3qxg">coal</a>, <a href="/facts/Oil_shale/WSREUH8t">oil shale</a>, <a href="/facts/Tar_sands/ewYn43lb">tar sands</a>, etc.) as well as agricultural products and <a href="/facts/Municipal_solid_waste/x1T17ne7">municipal waste</a>, <a href="/facts/Wood/z13NpHPl">wood</a> and varied <a href="/facts/Biomass/4VHjaya3">biomass</a>. It can also be made from chemical recycling of <a href="/facts/Carbon_dioxide/xGzpppEp">carbon dioxide</a>.
</p><p><a href="/facts/Nobel_prize/3z1Y3oFL">Nobel prize</a> laureate <a href="/facts/George_A._Olah/yn3favWM">George A. Olah</a> advocated a methanol economy.
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Methanol economy open-in-new

Methanol economy