The Loadstar explains: methanol-powered ships

So what is all this noise about methanol-powered ships? The last time I saw anything powered by methane it was Barter Town, in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, where the main energy source for the post-apocalyptic settlement was basically the combined flatulence of a huge herd of pigs… so are we talking about ships powered by farts? 

No, not really. Although methane (CH4) can be refined into methanol (CH3OH) using complex industrial processes, it is very different. At room temperature, methanol is ...