Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered a way to convert the methane in natural gas into liquid methanol at room temperature.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered a way to convert the methane in natural gas into liquid methanol at room temperature.
This discovery, reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could potentially provide a cleaner energy source for many of our everyday activities.
When burned, natural gas — the fuel used to heat homes, cook food and generate electricity — produces carbon dioxide, a powerful greenhouse gas.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. consumed approximately 31 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in 2019, contributing roughly 1.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
Read More: University of Illinois at Chicago
Burning methane in natural gas contributes to carbon emissions, but methane converted to liquid methanol is a cleaner fuel. (Photo Credit: Aditya Prajapati and Meenesh Singh/UIC)
