Methanol as fuel

The use of methanol as a fuel is expected to provide the major impetus for growth in the methanol market over the next decade. Methanol use will increase both as a direct fuel and as Di Methyl Ether (DME), a clean burning alternative fuel made from methanol. With markets currently tight and prices soaring above US$350.00 per tonne, as a result of high global demand led by China, prospects for the industry’s future appear very bright. This was the general message arising out of some of the presentations at the GazChem 2007 conference, held recently at the Trinidad Hilton.

…While the world seems to be high on DME, our own Methanol Holdings Trinidad Limited (MHTL) is also conducting research on the direct application of methanol as a fuel. Dr H Furlonge, UTT, told the conference of a Methanol to Power research pilot project engaging the attention of the Clico majority owned Methanol Holdings group. MHTL has established an 8.5 MW demonstration power plant in Point Lisas, which will burn methanol instead of natural gas as a fuel. The long-term intent is that once proven, the methanol fuelled power stations can provide an economic alternative power generating technology for some niche markets such as the smaller islands of the Caribbean, for whom natural gas via pipeline and or LNG is not a feasible option. The plant current provides power to two of the company’s five methanol plants.

Trinidad & Tobago Express