One of my favorite/inspiring authors is research scientist Robert Zubrin, the author of "The Hydrogen Hoax". A few months ago he published the quote above in an article titled, Legalize Methanol. Legalize Methanol - Robert Zubrin - National Review Online I guess I'd been living under a rock, and didn't realize the kinds of roadblocks were stopping methanol from being used more extensively. What a shame. .
While the major point is understood. Anytime I see statements like this: "inasmuch as windshield-wiper fluid is one-third methanol, and billions of gallons of it have been dumped directly into the environment (that’s where it goes after your wiper throws it off the windshield) for decades, without any impact whatsoever." I keep thinking of how that was the same claim made for all the CO2 dumped into our atmosphere.
Zubin has the right idea that methanol has potential, and there is some talk about making methanol now from the cheaper natural gas. But once you have manufactured methanol, there are many other things you can do with it. It is used to make biofuels/biodiesel, you can make gasoline out of it, you can make DME out of it (which is sometimes talked about as fuel) and so on. I think he is pushing direct use of methanol as a fuel, which is yet another option. I do agree that government policies tend to shape what technologies are the winners and losers. I am not up on where methanol is made these days (USA vs. overseas). In particular, right now there is huge new issue before Congress, pertaining to whether or not exporting fuels/nat gas should be curtailed. If nat gas exports are blocked, then possibly that would stimulate methanol production in USA. It is over my pay grade to know the correct answer to the export debate.
The ethanol lobby with the help of the EPA has killed methanol, which is ironic as EPA once helped methanol
