Alternative Fuel: Methanol better than Hydrogen?

With the alternative fuels hype going on, the debate for a better choice between hydrogen and methanol is on and whoever would be the winner, it would benefit the mankind either ways. The ecologists have re-instated their faith in methanol based on the fact that making hydrogen commonly available as a fuel is a tough deal.

The Syngas (steamed reformed methane) that gets converted into liquid hydrocarbons is the potential substitute provided fossil fuels are not brought into use in the formation.

Chemist Scott Barnett at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, has suggested that solid oxide electrolysis cells– normally used to split water, could be that green option.

The conversion using the suggested option at peak conditions of 800 °C and 1.3 volts is capable of producing 7 standard cubic centimeters of Syngas per minute for each square cm of the electrolysis cell’s surface.

Interestingly, both hydrogen generation and the aforesaid process requires a gas-capturing technique that hinders cost effectiveness. The only difference lies in the fact that methanol would require lesser carting around of water.

The drawbacks are that methanol is an energy store and not a form of energy unlike hydrogen, but liquid methanol beats the efficiency of hydrogen for storage and transportation. So I guess the confusion about a better alternative fuel, still prevails …

[via NewScientist] Image by dhepburn

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