The standardized application of methanol fuel can be expected

"As a clean alternative fuel, methanol plays a supplementary role in China’s energy system. Unlike other clean fuels, the development of the methanol fuel industry is bottom-up, with long-term and extensive application practices first. It was only because of its feasibility in all aspects that today’s scale of development and market competitiveness has been formed, and it has been basically recognized by the government and society. This is hard-won.” Recently, the Methanol Times Alliance and the People’s Government of Tianmen City, Hubei Province At the co-hosted "2020 China Methanol Alcohol-Based Fuel Conference", Jiang Lianbao, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the National Alcohol Ether Fuel Standardization Technical Committee said.

　　 Due to its clean emissions, low price, and convenient use, methanol fuel has been widely used in catering, heating stoves, industrial boilers and furnaces in recent years, and has formed a certain scale of market. At the conference site, small and medium-sized enterprises from all over the country displayed various methanol heating equipment, methanol stoves, alcohol-based biofuels and supporting methanol storage tanks and canning equipment, and Internet of Things technology.

　　The scale of application should not be underestimated

　　 Methanol fuel has a single component, low carbon and high oxygen content. Due to its full combustion, it can effectively reduce harmful gas emissions. According to the inspection reports issued by the environmental protection departments of Fujian, Guangxi, Tianjin and other places on the local methanol boilers in use or out of the factory, the concentration of smoke, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide emissions from methanol boilers is 4.5-14 mg per cubic meter, 0- Between 5.0 mg and 6.6-31.0 mg, which is far lower than my country's "Boiler Air Pollution Emission Standard", compared with coal, gas and oil-fired boilers, it has obvious environmental advantages.

　　 In addition to clean combustion emissions, methanol is a chemical product. From the production side, coal is mainly used as the raw material for production. At present, my country's coal-to-methanol accounts for more than 75% of the total production capacity, which is an important area for clean utilization of coal resources.

　　 Therefore, as a relatively high-quality clean alternative energy, methanol fuel has formed a certain industrial scale. Statistics from the Methanol Times Alliance show that there are currently more than 7,000 small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in the production and operation of methanol-alcohol-based fuels, providing clean heating for 1.07 million restaurants and canteens, 80,000 rural households, and 12,000 industrial boilers. , 16,000 industrial kilns and 115,000 cars provide energy guarantee, distributed all over the country.

　　 "Currently, the market application of methanol fuel continues to expand, covering three major market areas and 12 application directions. Many downstream products have entered a mature stage, such as methanol stoves and methanol boilers." Jiang Lianbao said.

　　 In addition to the continuous expansion of the application market, the current application scenarios of methanol fuel are also becoming more refined. Taking the catering industry as an example, Wuhan Lirui New Energy has developed digital kitchens, smart cylinders and smart packaging systems to ensure the safety of fuel from production and packaging, transportation to use, and control the safe use of alcohol-based fuels in the plant area .

　　 Standard specifications to be completed

Although it has a history of several years of development and has formed a certain market scale, it is understood that at present methanol fuel only has clear safety regulations and standards in the production and transportation fields, and there has been a lack of corresponding safety regulations in the end-use field. , To a certain extent caused the abnormal development of the market.

“There is no big problem in the use of methanol fuel. The real problem lies in the regulation. Without regulation, safety is impossible to talk about.” Zhou Yanbing, technical director of Wuhan Deli Safety Technology Co., Ltd., told reporters, “Although they are both hazardous chemicals, At present, the liquefied petroleum gas commonly used in households has related management regulations, but methanol fuel does not have a blank standard, which is a key issue that restricts the development of the industry. Many people are not at ease with it, but in fact, methanol fuel is safer than liquefied petroleum gas. The risk is much smaller."

　　 According to Zhou Yanbing, since there is no clear specification, the methanol containers currently used in the catering industry are diverse. "There are iron buckets, plastic buckets, and sinks directly welded with steel plates, and then connected with plastic pipes, and you enter the kitchen. At present, many small restaurants are like this."

Zhang Erhong, secretary-general of the Methanol Times Alliance, also pointed out: “Due to the rapid development of methanol fuel and the lagging related standards and insufficient supervision, some speculators have entered one after another. As a result, the production quality of methanol fuel cannot be guaranteed, and some fuel names are messy, add water. The ratio is arbitrary and disrupts market development."

　　 has great development potential

　　 In the opinion of many interviewees, methanol fuel, as a clean fuel, is widely used and related technologies are relatively mature, with great development potential.

"Methanol has been used as a vehicle fuel for more than 40 years, and it has been used as a stove fuel for nearly 25 years. Its adaptability, reliability, economy, safety and environmental protection have been verified. At present, my country's oil and natural gas dependence on foreign countries continues to Rising, methanol, as a cleaner alternative fuel, has a wide range of sources. If it can be promoted vigorously, it can reduce my country's dependence on foreign energy to a certain extent." Zhang Erhong pointed out.

　　 Academician Xie Kechang of the Chinese Academy of Engineering also publicly pointed out that after decades of hard work, the current technical reserves, production equipment, engineering construction and application of methanol vehicles and methanol fuel have matured and have the basis for comprehensive promotion and application. To this end, it is necessary to carry out methanol energy strategy research, give the definition of methanol fuel, the scope of application of methanol fuel, methanol fuel production, transportation and distribution, methanol fuel consumption application supervision and management, methanol fuel application safety guarantee measures, methanol fuel technology basic prospective The eight aspects of strategic planning and division of labor, including research, methanol fuel industrialization application research, and related policy support, lay a research foundation for comprehensively guiding the promotion and application of methanol fuel in my country.

It is worth noting that in June this year, the Wuhan Municipal Emergency Management Department issued the country’s first "Safety Technical Guidelines for the Use of Alcohol-Based Fuels in the Catering Industry". In the eyes of the industry, this is an important turning point in the use of safety regulations in the alcohol-based fuel industry in China. It provides a legal basis for the storage, loading and unloading, use of alcohol-based fuels in commercial catering units, as well as emergency response agencies and canteens of enterprises and institutions.

“The standards promulgated by Wuhan City are very important. They are the first standards promulgated by the government in the application of methanol fuel. After practical application, they can provide a basis for other provinces to formulate relevant standards and are of great significance to regulating the methanol fuel market.” Zhou Yanbing said .