ot 0/1/50 ECEIVE SEP 2 9 W OSTI The Use of Mett Fuel for Transportation Karl-Erik Egeback, MichaelP. Walsh, Roger Westerholm ^IKFB KOMMUNIKATIONS KFB-Meddelande 1997:15 FORSKNINGS It mi A QQ7 TITEL/TITLE: The use of Methanol as a SERIE/SERIES Fuel For Transportation KFB-Meddelande 1997:15 ISBN FORFATTARE/AUTHOR: Karl-Erik ISSN 1401-1271 Egeback, Lulea University of PUBLICERINGSDATUM/DATE PUBLISHED Technology, Roger Westerholm, June 1997 Stockholm University and Michael P. UTGIVARE/PUBLISHER Walsh, International Consultant, KFB - Kommunikationsforsknings- Arlington USA. beredningen, Stockholm KFBs DNR1995-0393 ABSTRACT (Aim, Method, Results): The aim of the project was to collect and report international experiences concerning the use of methanol as an automotive fuel. The method has been to study the literature which covers the subject and most of the information has been collected that way. The project started with a participation in a conference and a visit to people which have been involved in activities concerning the use of automotive alcohols. Car manufacturers, environmental authorities and users of alcohol fuels i.e. representatives of bus companies, were interviewed. The different applications for the use of methanol as an automotive fuel has been described in the report as well as the production of methanol. Some results, mostly in form of emission data and other experiences derived from the use of alcohol fuels, have also been presented. The use of ethanol and methanol has been compared and based on information from engine manufacturers and users of alcohol fueled vehicles there seems to be a preference for the use of ethanol. However, the question ’’Methanol or ethanol? ” has not been answered as the decision which of the two is to be used seems to depend more on economic factors, such as cost of the production of the fuel etc., than on other factors. f <* I Kommunikationsforskningsberedningens - KFB - publikationsserier redovisar forskare sina projekt. Publiceringen innebar inte att KFB tar stallning till framforda asikter, slutsatser och resultat. KFB-rapporter forsaljs dels genom Fritzes Offentliga Publikationer, 106 47 Stockholm, tel 08-690 90 90, dels genom KFB Ovriga KFB-publikationer bestalls och erhalls direkt fran KFB. Man kan dessutom abonnera pa tidningen KFB- Kommunike. KFB Reports are sold either through Fritzes', S-106 47 Stockholm, Sweden, or through KFB (The Swedish Transport and Communications Research Board), Box 5706, S-114 87 Stockholm, Sweden Other KFB publications are ordered directly from KFB /<F6-MhD-~?7-/5 THE USE OF METHANOL AS A FUEL FOR TRANSPORTATION Karl-Erik Egeback*, Michael P. Walsh# and Roger Westerholmo *Lulea University of Technology, Lulea, Sweden #Arlington; Virginia, USA n Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden FORORD KFB's biodrivmedelsprogram startade budgetaret 1991/92 och pagar till och med utgangen av 1997. Avsikten ar att programmet skall ge kunskapsunderlag till beslutsfattare pa olika nivaer infor beslut om bur ett framtida miljoanpassat transportsystem baserat pa fomybara drivmedel praktiskt skall kunna realiseras. En slutrapport som sammanfattar erfarenhetema av programmet och drar strategiska slutsatser kommer att redovisas 1997. For att ge underlag till slutrapporten bar KFB initierat en systemstudie. Till systemstudien bar knutits en grupp personer med olika kompetensomraden under ledning av professor Thomas Sterner, Nationalekonomiska institutionen vid Gdteborgs universitet. Avsikten ar att systemstudien skall ge ekonomiska utvarderingar samt bedomningar av potentialen for produktion och anvandning av olika drivmedel. Den skall vidare analysera de fiesta aspekter pa storskaligt inforande av biobaserade drivmedel. Viktiga fragor att analysera galler t ex effekter pa miljdn globalt, regional! och lokalt, samhalls- och foretagsekonomiska effekter, mark- och naturresursaspekter, prisbildning for bioravaror, effekter pa industristruktur och infrastruktureffekter. Systemstudien skall ocksa belysa olika strategier for introduktion av biodrivmedel givet olika forutsattningar, analysera konkurrens om anvandning av biobransle for andra andamal an drivmedel, gdra jamforelser med andra drivmedel med hansyn till ekonomi, miljd- och halsoeffekter, m.m. Systemstudiengenomfors i form avett antal delstudier som grappen identifierat som viktiga hdmstenar for att kunna beddma mojlighetema for en introduktion av biodrivmedel. Resultaten av dessa delstudier diskuteras lopande inom gruppen som varderar, drar slutsatser och satter in delstudiema i ett stdrre sammanhang. Denna rapport behandlar bio-metanol som drivmedel i fordon. Rapporten pekar pa och sammanfattar den utveckling som skett inom omradet, bade utomlands och i Sverige; UrbanKarlstrom Generaldirektor, KFB DISCLAIMER Portions of this document may be Illegible in electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document. ABSTRACT Ethanol and Methanol are two realistic alternative automotive fuels. Each of them can be produced from biomass by the use of at least two different methods. When comparing the two fuels, each seems to have advantages and disadvantages. Ethanol is less toxic than Methanol but it is estimated to more expensive at least when using the methods for production which are used today. Methanol is likely to produce higher yields and when used in a fuel cell lower emissions. Field tests have shown that the cost associated with the use of a new fuel is one of the key factors to take into consideration. In Sweden an extensive program was established in order to evaluate the use of methanol as a fuel for motor vehicles. The program, which chiefly comprised light duty vehicles, started in the middle of the 1970s and was finished in 1990. This program also included E5 and E 23. Before that, a project was started aiming at an evaluation of the use of ethanol and in 1991 the Swedish Transport and Communications Research Board was commissioned by the Swedish Government to devise a program to stimulate the development of technologies for alternative fuels. The program is concentrated on the use of biofuels such as bioethanol and biogas and it was assumed that data and experiences from investigations carried out in other countries could be collected and used together with data and experiences generated during the above mentioned methanol project for an evaluation of the use of methanol. The evaluation of the use of methanol is presented in this report, and conclusion is that both methanol and ethanol are attractive fuels with the long term potential to substitute for large quantities of petroleum based fuels. At the same time it can reduce urban air pollution, especially NOx and particulate from diesel vehicles, and if biomass methanol or ethanol is used can the transportation contribution to the greenhouse effect be lowered dramatically. 1. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW The term alternative fuels may be interpreted differently in different countries. In California, alternative fuel means "a motor fuel consisting of methanol, ethanol (including methanol and/or ethanol in combination with gasoline as approved by the California Air Resources Board as an alternative fuel), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), or electricity” (AQMD, 1994).. Methanol is not a new fuel for motor vehicles. It has not been used to the same extent as ethanol, especially if the use in Brazil is taken into account, but there seems to have been more research projects carried out when using methanol. Methanol is also commonly used for the production of ethers to be blended with gasoline. Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) which is produced from about 40% of methanol and 60% of a C4-olefin is used in both commercial and reformulated gasoline. As the octane number of MTBE is high, one of the purposes of using it as an additive is to improve the octane quality of gasoline. Another purpose is to reduce the emission of especially carbon monoxide and in this way improve the quality of gasoline. In the USA there is a requirement to use gasoline with a blend of oxygenates in areas with highly CO polluted areas. Another alternative use of methanol is to blend it directly into gasoline, which was first attempted in the early 1970 ’s during the oil crisis of 1973. Since the first trials took place, different alternatives for the use of methanol have been investigated and are in current use. Alcohols and ethers are oxygenates and are used as additives in gasoline in order to improve the octane number of the fuel and as a means of improving the emission behavior of the vehicle. During the 1970's and early 1980's, there was a great deal of interest around the world in the use of biofuels as a means of reducing dependence on imported oil, especially oil from the OPEC countries. Clearly the most advanced of these programs was that which took place in Brazil where ethanol derived from the local sugar crop became a major component of gasoline and many vehicles were designed and built to run on 100% ethanol. As oil prices declined throughout the 1980's and as the supply of oil stabilized, the interest in biofuels for energy security reasons has declined. However, at the same time, the concern with global warming began to increase. This has culminated most recently in the finding by the IPCC Working Group 1 that ’’the balance of evidence suggests that there is a discernible human influence on global climate” and the evidence that 1995 has been documented to be the warmest on record