**8. Methanol economy**

Methanol economy had been touted as a possible replacement for fossil fuel society. Now, hydrogen economy is starting to replace the momentum of methanol economy. Methanol has quite versatile usages in many sectors of modern industries for energy source and chemical raw material, which is a very good point when selling the product. Compared to the recent unmatched supply-demand issue in bio-ethanol, the point that there are many selling market can be a major advantage.

Related technologies to methanol are mostly mature such that there are only economic uncertainties, not major technical difficulties. Its related utility can expand as an energy media for society if cost is appropriate with eventual goal of replacing fossil fuels with methanol.

Methanol is produced from various raw materials including biomass or wastes which has not been fully utilized till now. Methanol-based energy can be quite useful especially for developing countries to cope with global climate change issue and related environmental issues while simultaneously securing some portion of national energy security. But, the issue of slipping into underground water stream when it is not properly regulated might be an issue that is to be solved. Underground water contamination shall be much smaller than the case by petroleum-based liquid fuels, but it needs to be comparable eventually to hydrogen and clean gas energy sources.
