METHANOL – SOCIAL ISSUE
News: Explained
| How methanol poisoning kills
What's in the news?
● As
many as 22 people had died after consuming spurious liquor in Chengalpattu and
Villupuram districts of Tamil Nadu while 30 others were still being treated at
hospitals.
What is the alcohol in liquor?
● Liquor
is differentiated by its alcohol content
– from the 5% or so of beer to the 12% or so of wine to the 40% or so of
distilled spirits (all by volume).
● In
the beverages consumed for recreational
purposes, the alcohol in question is almost always ethanol.
● Technically,
in this context, ethanol is a psychoactive drug that, in low doses, reduces the
level of neurotransmission in the body, leading to its typical intoxicating
effects.
Health impacts of liquor consumption:
● Contrary
to popular belief, the World Health Organization has found that “no level of
[its] consumption is safe for our health”.
● Long-term
use leads to dependence, heightens the risk
of some cancers and heart disease, and may eventually cause death.
What is spurious liquor?
● Spurious
liquor is characterized by the liquid
mixture containing methanol as well.
● In
many cases, such liquor is typically a homemade liquor to which methanol was
added to strengthen the intoxicating effects (in colloquial parlance, its kick)
and/or to increase its bulk volume.
Methanol:
● Methanol
is a low carbon, hydrogen carrier fuel
produced from high ash coal, agricultural residue, CO2 from thermal power
plants and natural gas.
Applications:
● Methanol
has several industrial applications,
including as a precursor to acetic acid, formaldehyde, and aromatic
hydrocarbons.
● It
is also used as a solvent and as antifreeze.
NITI Aayog’s road map for Methanol Economy:
● Production of methanol
from Indian high ash coal from indigenous technology,
in large quantities and adopting regional production strategies and producing
Methanol in large quantities @ Rs. 19 a liter.
● India
will adopt C02 capturing technology to
make the use of coal fully environment friendly and our commitments to
COP21.
● Biomass, Stranded Gas
& Municipal Solid Waste for methanol production.
Almost 40% of Methanol Production can be through these feed stocks.
● Utilization
of methanol as well as dimethyl ester
(DME) in transportation – rail, road, marine and defence. Industrial boilers,
diesel gensets & power generation & mobile towers are other
applications.
● Utilization
of methanol and dimethyl ester (DME) as domestic cooking fuel - cook stoves
through the LPG - DME blending program.
● Utilization
of methanol in fuel cell applications
in Marine, Gensets and Transportation.
Need for Methanol Economy:
● NITI
Aayog's 'Methanol Economy' programme is aimed at reducing India's oil import bill, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and
converting coal reserves and municipal solid waste into methanol.
Advantages
of Methanol:
1. Lower production costs:
● It
is cheap to produce relative to other alternative fuels.
2. Reduced environmental hazards:
● Methanol
has a lower risk of flammability compared to gasoline.
3. Increased energy security:
● Methanol
can be manufactured from a variety of carbon-based feedstocks, such as natural
gas and coal.
● Its
use could help reduce fuel use while
advancing domestic fuels.
● It
is also used to generate di-methyl ether (DME), a liquid fuel that is very
similar to diesel.
4. Cleaner fuel:
● Methanol
is a clean-burning fuel that produces fewer
smog-causing emissions (sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and
particulate matter). Thus, improving air quality and related human health
issues.
5. Sustainable fuel:
● The
use of methanol would help reduce our
dependence on imported petroleum.
● Methanol
has the efficiency to create a pathway for meeting India’s commitment to COP
21.
Concerns:
1. CO2 Source:
● A
large amount of CO2, a potent polluter, is emitted during the process of making
methanol from coal.
2. Lack of necessary infrastructure.
3. Inadequate waste segregation.
4. Lack of focus
on Methanol based economy as compared to EV Policy.
WAY FORWARD:
● It
is expected that developing countries like India will account for a 25% rise in global energy demand by 2040 due
to an increase in the per capita income and rapid industrialization.
● Methanol
economy can play a breakthrough role in improving the worldwide global energy scenario. It is a single carbon compound
and can be produced from a wide variety of fossil fuels and biomass products.
● Focus
on ethanol based economy should be on the similar line to EV policy.
Adoption
of Methanol and furthering high ash coal gasification that in all likelihood
will reduce our import bill and aid in slowing global warming in a massive way.