Recent progress of R&D on utilization of automotive methanol fuels in Japan

Methanol fuel is expected to be introduced as a fuel for vehicles, as an alternative fuel for petroleum and as a clean fuel responsive to environmental problems. In Japan, the Petroleum Energy Center on consignment from the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, has been continuing the feasibility study that covers a wide range of fields. The major items of the feasibility survey now being implemented are as follows: (1) The development of new production technology for methanol fuels. (2) Application technology fur light duty vehicles. (3) Application technology for heavy duty vehicles. (4) Development of fuel supply facilities. (5) Study of methanol reformulation. In these Feasibility studies, the practicality of methanol as an automotive fuel is confirmed.