• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.93-103
• /
• 2006

Biogas is a byproduct after anaerobic digestion of organic materials and has been used as an energy source for heating and generating electricity. Demands of methanol for fuel mixed with gasoline and reactant in biodiesel production are steadily being increased. In this review, we summarized recent advancements in direct partial oxidation of methane to methanol with the brief history of methanol synthesis. The steam reforming and the catalytic oxidation of methane to methanol were compared, the former of which are mainly used in industrial scale and the latter in a stage of research and development. On the basis of this review, the possibility of methanol conversion from biogas was proposed in the aspects of the technological feasibility and the economical practicability.