Catalysis Letters Vol. 93, Nos. 1–2, March 2004 (Ó 2004) 1

PERSPECTIVE

After oil and gas: economy

George A. Olah

Oil and (together with composing Map’’ and statements in President Bush’s January our fossil fuels) are not only our main energy sources 2003 State of the Union message). It is clear, however, but they are also the raw materials for the great variety that top achieve it new ways must be found to make it of products (ranging from and diesel oil to feasible. varied petrochemical and chemical products including I suggest a reasonable and practical alternative to synthetic materials, plastics, pharmaceuticals, etc.). overcome the mentioned difficulties by converting What nature gave us as a gift, built over the course of with to methanol (methyl eons, is however used up rather rapidly. These natural alcohol, CH3OH) a convenient liquid product. Metha- resources continue to be significantly depleted and nol is a bulk commercial chemical made presently from become increasingly costly. Thus we need to search for natural gas, but under proper conditions it can also be new sources and solutions. made from atmospheric carbon dioxide by its reaction All fossil fuels are mixtures of hydrocarbons, with hydrogen. composed by varying ratios of carbon and hydro- Methanol is an excellent fuel on its own right and gen. Upon their combustion carbon is converted into it can be blended with gasoline. It is also used in carbon dioxide and hydrogen into water. Consequently the pioneering ‘‘direct methanol ’’ we devel- when burned they are irreversibly used up. In addition, oped jointly with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the increase of the CO2 content of the atmosphere Caltech. In this fuel cell methanol is directly combined is considered a major man made cause for global with air producing electricity without the need to first warming. cleave it to give hydrogen. This greatly simplifies fuel Without diminishing natural resources and the diffi- cell technology and makes it available to a wide scope culties connected with using atomic or alternate ener- of applications. These include providing power to gies, there is urgent need to find and develop feasible cellular phones, computers (already under commercial- new and safe ways for and distribution, ization) to motor scooters, cars, etc. (under develop- as well as to produce man made hydrocarbons effi- ment) or even large power stations. Further it was ciently. found that methanol can be conveniently converted to Much is said recently about the future ‘‘hydrogen , the key material to produce hydrocarbon fuels economy’’. The main source for hydrogen is presently and their products, presently obtained from oil and gas. natural gas, but it can be generated by electrolyzing It is thus realistic to say that if we can produce water. The combustion of hydrogen is indeed clean, methanol efficiently from non- source, it will giving only water and releasing energy. However, be able to replace oil and gas as both as a fuel and hydrogen is not a natural energy source on our planet chemical raw material. Such solution indeed exists in earth (in contrast to the sun and stars of the universe) the mentioned conversion of carbon dioxide with and it must be generated using much energy (from hydrogen to give methanol. Atmospheric carbon diox- natural gas or by electrolytically splitting water). Pro- ide is available to everybody on earth and the ‘‘meth- ducing hydrogen is only a way of storing energy. anol economy’’ eventually can liberate mankind from Handling of this volatile and explosive gas is difficult, reliance on fossil fuels. The needed hydrogen can be dangerous and costly necessitating high pressure equip- obtained from water (an unlimited source of the oceans) ment and the use of special materials. No infrastructure but as mentioned this necessitates much energy. This exists for it and its cost would be prohibitive. Even with can come from atomic energy (albeit made safer and the greatest care any leaks would represent extreme solving problems of radioactive waste disposal) as explosion hazards, limiting wide use by consumers. Our well as by using all alternative energy sources (sun, government and some of the major industries regardless wind, hydroelectric, etc.). For all the reasons discussed seem to be committed to develop the ‘‘hydrogen I believe it is reasonable to start to consider the economy’’ (see for example the Department of energy’s ‘‘methanol economy’’ as well as practical and feasi- November 2002 ‘‘National Hydrogen Energy Road ble approach to answer the question what will replace

1011-372X/04/0300–0001/0 Ó 2004 Plenum Publishing Corporation 2 G.A. Olah/After oil and gas: methanol economy oil and gas. It would provide a feasible and safe way to explore the methanol economy alternative would be store energy, make available a convenient liquid warranted. fuel, and assure mankind an unlimited source of George A. Olah is a Professor of Chemistry and hydrocarbons while at the same time mitigating the Director of the Loker Hydrocarbon research Institute at dangers of global warming. Before we spend untold the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. billions in developing a still unproven and potentially He won in 1994 the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for unsafe a modest effort to pioneering work on hydrocarbons.