Background Materials
Too often conferences and policy events are one-sided, with presenters giving information to attendees and no real discussion. We have designed the Methanol Policy Forum to be different - with each panel allotting time for discussion at the end.
In order for that discussion to be inclusive of all available resources and the most up-to-date information, we have developed this pre-conference background page that hosts a number of documents and articles for your perusal. We hope that you can familiarize yourself with the below information that is new to you. We feel this will help to inform the discussion and make for a very productive and lively debate about where methanol fuel is heading, and how we can all engage to help carry it forward.
Recent Articles about Methanol:
Panel Discussions:
Methanol Markets - The first panel of the day will be focused on general information about methanol markets - where is it being made, in what quantities, how does its cost compare to other energy sources? The group of experts assembled will explore some of these topics with the audience, and offer a broad overview of the factors that are driving the methanol market globally and in the United States specifically.
Some resources that you may find informative on this topic include:
Avenues for Fuel Competition - To greatly expand the use of methanol as a transportation fuel, we must also explore some of the practical implications of integrating this convenient, clean liquid fuel. The experts assembled for this panel have some of the most extensive experience with methanol fueling programs around the globe - both from the experience in California in the 1980's and 90's, but also the current widespread fuel blending going on in China.
Some resources that you may find useful on this topic include:
Natural Gas and the Transportation Sector - With emerging technologies making natural gas more accessible than ever in North America markets, its potential role in the transportation sector is often debated on Capitol Hill by lawmakers and policy analysts. A recent report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology identified methanol as 'the liquid fuel that is most efficiently and inexpensively produced from natural gas.' With this in mind, there is a renewed interest on Capitol Hill for pursuing policy that supports wider adoption of methanol fuels.
Some materials that look at natural gas and methanol include:
Renewable Methanol - While the lion's share of methanol made around the world today comes from natural gas, renewable methanol production is ramping up considerably. Not only does the consumer get the clean burning benefits of methanol (no particulate matter, lower NOx emissions, etc.), but renewable production pathways are also able to lower the greenhouse gas emissions even further on a 'well-to-wheels' basis. Biomass, municipal solid waste, forest thinings, agricultural waste, and even CO2 from the atmosphere can all be converted to methanol. And this isn't just laboratory work - the experts on this panel come from some of the most innovative 2nd generation biofuel companies in the world that are bringing renewable methanol to market,
Some helpful resources on this topic include:
We hope that all attendees will find these resources useful and informative - and make sure to share them widely with your colleagues and others that have questions about methanol.
And, if you ever have questions about methanol - you can always reach out to Matt Roberts at the Methanol Institute (
mroberts@methanol.org).