The gasoline system does have a number of advantages, however. It is inherently more flexible than the low temperature methanol reformer, allowing the processing of multiple fuels using the same system. Gasoline, jet fuel, LPG, natural gas and ethanol have all been successfully demonstrated in this system. The gasoline processor is also more tolerant of contaminants or additives contained in the fuel. Methanol is more acutely toxic than gasoline, so extensive precautions must be taken to avoid the risk of accidental ingestion.
Methanol carries an additional risk because it is odorless, colorless and tasteless.
Additives will likely be needed to give methanol a distinctive color, taste, and smell. However, such additives, like the one needed to give methanol a visible flame, would impact the reformer's performance and cost. We are at an historic high in our dependence on imported oil. Currently, we import approximately one half of the oil consumed in this nation. According to the Energy Information Administration, that level is expected to increase to more than sixty percent within the next decade, unless we do something dramatic to reverse the current trend.