Global methanol demand is around 62-65 MT excluding integrated methanol to olefins demand.
Methanol is an important feedstock for chemical Industry.
Globally, natural gas is the most popular feedstock for methanol due to reasonable cost and good operational factors.
China derives its methanol mainly from coal.
Methanol is also utilised as transportation fuel, both in-land and marine sector as well as in fuel cells especially for remote use as in military applications.
It has been tested as boiler fuel in Israel. Globally, 60% of methanol is consumed in traditional chemical sectors (acetic acid, formaldehyde, while 40% is consumed in energy related applications (biodiesel, MTO, fuel blending, DME & MTBE).
The global methanol installed capacity is 105 MT per annum, while production is between 80 to 100 MT.
Methanol is not a persistent chemical and is broken down in the environment.
Methanol fires can be easily managed by alcohol-resistant foam.
The IDLH of methanol has been reported by NIOSH as 6000 ppm.
Various toxicity studies has confirmed that exposure up to 6000 ppm of methanol vapours in animals (Monkeys & Rats) didn’t result in any exposure related adverse effects.
Human toxicity values in terms of half-lives methanol in body are roughly 2.5 to 3 hours at doses less than 100 mg/kg bw.
Methanol’s GHG emissions are 7.6% less than diesel and 5.3% less than Ethanol.
