Methanol can be produced from CO2 based on coal or eventually from the air by hydrogenation with hydrogen, which has been produced in the desserts by water electrolysis using solar thermal electricity. Methanol is a suitable medium for energy storage, it can be stored and transported at low costs and is thus a suitable raw material for energy production, fuel for petrol and diesel engines, and raw material for chemistry which can replace natural gas or mineral oil. Use of a methanol technology could have significant economic potential for nations in Southern Europe and North Africa.