05.07.2009
Mixtures containing 85 percent or more (or such other percentage, but not less than 70 percent) by volume of methanol with gasoline. Pure methanol is considered an “other alternative fuel.”
A light, volatile alcohol eligible for gasoline blending.
Today, methanol is a commodity. Its worldwide consumption is some 50 million tons (2012) at a growth rate of 8% a year.
The advantages of methanol compared to gasoline: it is natural gas based and so reduces the dependency on crude oil, cheap, and does not required incentives and subsidies, clean – less pollutant emissions, environmental, safe – less flammable then gasoline, efficient combustion, operation, and logistics. The transportation of methanol is similar to that of gasoline, the price of methanol is 40%-45% of gasoline.
The disadvantages of methanol compared to gasoline: methanol has a low caloric value compared to gasoline, but its more efficient combustion leads, according to the literature, to a better engine salvage and to a certain compensation of the caloric value. The significant advantage of methanol in terms of price indicates that the price of a kilometer ride will be lower than fueling by gasoline and will reduce the petrol costs for the consumer.
The simplest hydrocarbon, methane, is a gas (at standard temperature and pressure) with a chemical formula of CH 4. However, when averaged over 100 years each kg of CH4 warms the earth 23 times as much as the same mass of CO2. Methane is a GHG with a relatively short atmospheric lifetime of 10+ years. The primary sources of methane are landfills, coal mines, natural gas systems and livestock.
Metering stations are placed periodically along interstate natural gas pipelines to allow pipeline companies to monitor and manage the natural gas in their pipes.
A device that measures the amount of electricity a customer uses. The primary types are energy meters (measures electricity use in kilowatt-hours), demand meters (also measures peak load), interval demand meters (records use in measured time periods), and time-of-use meters (allows different charges for electricity used during different time periods).