Boosting energy security

Methanol production should be promoted

The initiative by the NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog to promote the production and use of methanol as transportation and cooking fuel is a positive move that can serve both the energy- and environment-related objectives in one go. Methanol is a cost-effective, non-polluting and versatile fuel that can fully or partially replace petrol, diesel or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and, in the process, reduce India’s dependence on energy imports. Unlike ethanol, made largely from plant-based sources, such as sugarcane and vegetable oil, which a land-constrained country like India can ill-afford, methanol can be derived from a variety of