The prospects of the methanol gasoline project

① Introduction to methanol gasoline (diesel) fuel: Methanol gasoline (diesel) fuel generally comes in two types. One is M5-15 methanol gasoline (diesel) fuel, which is obtained by mixing 5-15% methanol into gasoline or diesel, along with certain additives to address issues such as the separation of methanol when it comes into contact with water. The other type is M85 and M100 methanol fuels, which are 100% methanol. To use M85-100 methanol fuel, existing car engines need to be modified, whereas methanol gasoline with an octane rating of M15 or lower can be used as vehicle fuel without any modifications to the existing cars. In 2005, China’s apparent consumption of gasoline and diesel reached 48.5 million tons and 110 million tons respectively. Of this, gasoline used by vehicles accounted for 80% of total gasoline consumption and 25% of total diesel consumption; together, gasoline used in vehicles made up over 42% of the total consumption of gasoline and diesel. At present, the total number of vehicles in our country is around 30 million. If one-third of these vehicles were to switch to M15 methanol gasoline, 3.3 million tons of methanol would be required. And if the demonstration applications for the development of M85-100 methanol gasoline engines and vehicles are successful, the demand will be even greater. At the same time, the number of vehicles in use in our country will continue to increase in the future, and demand for gasoline and diesel will remain on the rise over the long term. If **the use of methanol-based gasoline is approved nationwide, the demand for methanol could grow exponentially. However, there is still some controversy in China regarding whether methanol gasoline should be promoted. ② The production and use of methanol gasoline at home and abroad. The development and application of methanol gasoline began abroad during the second oil crisis in the 1970s. From the perspective of alternative energy sources, countries such as Germany, the United States, and Japan invested resources in research and development related to methanol fuel as well as the technologies necessary for methanol-powered vehicles. The United States focused on developing methanol fuel vehicles designed to run on M85 and M100 fuels; Ford also developed Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) and carried out large-scale commercial production of them. By the 1990s, 100,000 methanol fuel vehicles were in use in the United States. However, since 1998, methanol-powered vehicles and methanol fuel in the West have been on the decline, for various reasons: certain shortcomings of methanol as a vehicle fuel ； Methanol is toxic and is not welcome in the West, where there is a strong emphasis on health, safety, and quality of life ； These **domestic methanol production resources are scarce, resulting in high production costs ； After 1997, the tight supply situation for oil eased, making it difficult for methanol prices to compete with those of oil ； The United States has a rich variety of agricultural crops, and it **places great emphasis on protecting the interests of farmers**, which has enabled the rapid adoption of ethanol fuel, which is less toxic and safer ； Furthermore, the large potential for development in alternative fuel markets such as CNG, LNG, and electricity has also led to methanol being neglected as an alternative fuel; in 1998, Ford Motor Company in the United States stopped producing FFV methanol vehicles. Since using methanol in gasoline requires certain modifications to vehicles, automobile manufacturers in the United States, Europe, and Japan currently insist on opposing the addition of methanol to gasoline, imposing strict limits on its content. The \"World Fuel Specification\" jointly issued by the World Automobile Manufacturers Organization in 1998 stipulates that \"the use of methanol is not permitted.\" At present, many Western countries **have essentially given up on the industrial promotion of methanol gasoline. The development of methanol gasoline in our country started relatively late. Mainly, Shanxi Province carried out relevant experimental work from the perspective of processing its own coal resources, and in recent years has implemented demonstration projects for the use of methanol gasoline. Trials and promotions have taken place in 11 cities in Shanxi, but formal large-scale production and use have not yet occurred. However, in recent years, driven up by rising oil prices, some domestic companies have \"illegally\" added methanol to gasoline, resulting in a rapid increase in the \"illegal\" consumption of methanol in China. I estimate that currently 700,000 tons of methanol are being \"illegally\" added to gasoline in the country. At the current domestic prices of 4,500 yuan per ton for gasoline and 2,500 yuan per ton for methanol, adding 10% methanol to gasoline will increase the sales \"profit\" by 200 yuan per ton. Under current technical conditions, M3-5 methanol gasoline generally has no impact on cars, whereas the use of methanol gasoline with a concentration above M15 is detrimental to the cars themselves. ③ The main technical problems associated with the use of methanol in gasoline are its strong swelling and corrosive properties: Methanol causes rubber to swell and is highly corrosive, which undermines the durability of vehicles. This is also the main reason why countries abroad oppose the addition of methanol to gasoline – due to its high corrosiveness. If methanol gasoline is used, the car engine and carburetor must be modified or have their materials replaced; cars or engines that have not been specially modified are not suitable for using gasoline with high levels of methanol. Although various corrosion inhibitors have been developed both domestically and internationally, they cannot completely solve the corrosion problem caused by methanol; they can only partially inhibit or slow down the occurrence of corrosion. Toxicity: Methanol is a neurotoxin with significant effects; improper use can easily cause harm to the human body. When performing car repairs, including pouring oil from the fuel tank using a suction tube, people may come into contact with methanol, posing a potential risk. Poor environmental performance: Although the use of methanol-based gasoline can reduce the emission of certain harmful gases, it also introduces new pollutants; for example, vehicles powered by methanol emit 3 to 6 times more formaldehyde than those using conventional gasoline. In addition, using methanol-blended gasoline also presents problems such as reduced engine power, layering when exposed to moisture, and difficulty in cold starting. If the above issues are not properly resolved, it will be more difficult to promote methanol gasoline.

Energy issues plague people around the world, and different people have different views on them. Methanol-based diesel is not a complete solution; it is merely a temporary measure. But how do we find out where it is? No one knows!