Alternative Automobile Fuel Source

We often think of automobile fuel as simple gasoline that you can pump from any gas station, but there are alternative fuel sources for automobiles other than gasoline.  Technology and research have found that you can power an automobile with all kinds of different fuel sources as an alternative to gasoline.  And these alternative fuel sources are great for the environment as well.

For example, electric cars have been around for centuries.  It’s true!  In the 1900’s, there were more electric cars on the road than gasoline powered ones.  With gas companies developing new and cheaper ways to produce gasoline, however, the gas powered automobiles soon became the main mode of transportation for people.

Then we had a gas shortage in the 1970’s and that prompted researchers to look for an alternative fuel source to power our automobiles.  Right now, in modern day America, gas prices have risen dramatically to the point where it is almost difficult for people to travel because it costs so much to fill up their cars.

Luckily, technology is such that we not only have alternative fuel sources, but we also have alternative fuel automobiles as well.  These automobiles run on fuels such as propane, hydrogen, ethanol, and even vegetable oil!  They cause little to no harm to the environment because they have very few to no emissions at all so no harmful chemicals are released into the air.

As technology progresses and more ways are found to produce alternative fuels cheaply, we think that the automobile industry itself will wholeheartedly embrace alternative fuel sources and begin producing more and more vehicles to meet customer needs and wants.

Right now, there are some great hybrid vehicles that are available for sale.  These automobiles can run on alternative fuel or use gasoline as their main source of power.  While not completely “green”, they are a step in the right direction when it comes to making our world a cleaner place and helping to save the environment.

Alternative fuel sources for our automobiles are being developed and perfected every day as companies along with the United States Government strive to help our world as well as our pocketbooks.  The development of alternative fuel sources in the automobile industry will continue to be honed to perfection and we could very well be seeing alternative fuels cost less than gasoline.  That would be a welcome relief, don’t you think?

Alternative Fuel Data Center

Recognizing that alternative fuels are taking our world by storm, the United States Department of Energy has set up a website called the Alternative Fuel Data Center.  This website is a huge collection of information on alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles.  Basically, the Alternative Fuel Data Center has just about everything you ever wanted to know about alternative fuel.

The alternative fuel data center described those fuels defined by the Energy Policy Act of 1992.  That includes bio-diesel, electricity, ethanol, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane.  The site contains more than 3,000 documents in its database.  It also provides an interactive fuel station mapping system, current listings of available alternative fuel vehicles, and lots of alternative fuels information and related links.
The Alternative Fuel Data Center was developed in 1991 in response to the Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988 and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Since that time, the Alternative Fuel Data Center has provided key information in support of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and the Clean Cities portfolio.
With the growing popularity of alternative fuels taking over the automotive industry, the Federal government knew that there would be millions of people with questions about these new products.  They wanted to be sure that Americans could get easy answers to the questions that they would have which is why they set up the Alternative Fuel Data Center website – to meet those needs.

There is so much information on the Alternative Fuel Data Center website, it would take forever to see and read it all.  But some highlights include the following:

* Toolkits that help coalitions and stakeholders reach their petroleum displacement goals.  These toolkits contain technical information, step-by-step instructions, and more to point the user in the right direction towards the use of alternative fuels.
* Education resources for teachers and students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.  That includes activities, workbooks, even competitions to increase their awareness of alternative fuels and how they can help the environment.
* Links to alternative fuel training site where mechanics can learn how to maintain and repair an alternative fuel vehicle.  This section lists various places that provide the training needed to become a certified alternative fuel vehicle mechanic.

But that’s just a sampling of all the information you can find on the Alternative Fuel Data Center website.  There really is a lot of great information here, so check them out online at www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/.

Diesel Fuel Alternative

Many vehicles run on diesel fuel, but with the growing push toward environmentally safer fuels for vehicles, do diesel vehicle owners have any alternative other than diesel fuel?  Yes they do!  It’s called bio-diesel and it’s making a big splash in the fuel industry.

Bio-diesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Bio-diesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a bio-diesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Bio-diesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

Bio-diesel fuel is produced from any fat or oil such as soybean oil as an alternative to petroleum-based fuel, through a refinery process called trans-esterification. This process is a reaction of the oil with an alcohol to remove the glycerin, which is a by-product of biodiesel production.

Fuel-grade bio-diesel as an alternative fuel must be produced to strict industry specifications in order to insure proper performance. Bio-diesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.

Bio-diesel fuel that meets the industry specifications for an alternative fuel is legally registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as a legal motor fuel for sale and distribution. Raw vegetable oil cannot meet bio-diesel fuel specifications, it is not registered with the EPA, and it is not a legal motor fuel.
Bio-diesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. The use of bio-diesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter compared to emissions from diesel fuel. In addition, the exhaust emissions of sulfur oxides and sulfates (major components of acid rain) from bio-diesel are essentially eliminated compared to regular diesel fuel.
Of the major exhaust pollutants, both unburned hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides are ozone or smog forming precursors. The use of bio-diesel as an alternative fuel results in a substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons. Emissions of nitrogen oxides are either slightly reduced or slightly increased depending on the duty cycle of the engine and testing methods used.
The use of bio-diesel fuel as an alternative to petroleum based fuel is really a step in the right direction when it comes to both environmental as well as monetary concerns.  It is safer, burns cleaner, and easy to make.  It’s a real breakthrough for those who use diesel fuel and a real alternative to regular diesel fuel.

Fuel Cell Vehicles

Although they are not expected to reach the mass market before 2010, fuel cell vehicles may someday revolutionize on-road transportation.  This emerging technology has the potential to significantly reduce energy use and harmful emissions, as well as our dependence on foreign oil.  Fuel cell vehicles will have other benefits as well.
Fuel cell vehicles represent a radical departure from vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines. Like battery-electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles are propelled by electric motors. But while battery electric vehicles use electricity from an external source (and store it in a battery), fuel cell vehicles create their own electricity. Fuel cells onboard the vehicle creates electricity through a chemical process using hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air.
They can be fueled with pure hydrogen gas stored onboard in high-pressure tanks. Fuel cell vehicles also can be fueled with hydrogen-rich fuels; such as methanol, natural gas, or even gasoline; but these fuels must first be converted into hydrogen gas by an onboard device called a "reformer."
Fuel cell vehicles fueled with pure hydrogen emit no pollutants; only water and heat; while those using hydrogen-rich fuels and a reformer produce only small amounts of air pollutants. In addition, fuel cell vehicles can be twice as efficient as similarly sized conventional vehicles and may also incorporate other advanced technologies to increase efficiency.
Before fuel cell vehicles make it to your local auto dealer, significant research and development is required to reduce cost and improve performance. They must also find effective and efficient ways to produce and store hydrogen and other fuels.
Automakers, fuel cell developers, component suppliers, government agencies, and others are working hard to accelerate the introduction of fuel cell vehicles. Partnerships such as the DOE-led FreedomCAR initiative and the California Fuel Cell Partnership have been formed to encourage private companies and government agencies to work together to move these vehicles toward commercialization.
Since technology is still trying to develop the perfect fuel cell vehicle, they are not yet readily available.  However, that’s just a matter of time.  Before long, we will be inundated with advertisements and pleas to switch over to “green” cars and abandon our gas guzzlers.
Fuel cell vehicles – like alternative fuel vehicles are the wave of the future.  Our environment is paying a high price for our transportation needs.  Global warming is becoming a reality and the ozone layer is being depleted on a daily basis.  When we start switching over to fuel cell vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles, we just might save the world we live in – one car at a time!

Types of Alternative Fuels

There are many different types of alternative fuels that are being developed these days which is an exciting innovation in the vehicle industry.  Alternative fuels are the wave of the future as scientists look for cleaner burning fuels that won’t damage the environment while providing great advantages to the vehicle owner.  They have come up with several.

Probably the most well known type of alternative fuel is ethanol.  Ethanol is often called grain alcohol as it is made from corn and/or soybeans.  Right now on the market is E85 which is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.  Even though it still has gasoline in it, ethanol burns much cleaner than regular gas and saves on gas mileage for those who use it.  Ethanol can also be made from organic materials including agricultural crops and waste, plant material left from logging, and trash including paper!

Another type of alternative fuel is methanol, a cousin of ethanol as they are both alcohol based products.  Methanol is sometimes called wood alcohol and can be made from various biomass resources like wood, as well as from coal. However, today nearly all methanol is made from natural gas, or methane, because it is cheaper.

Propane, or compressed natural gas has long been used to provide energy to homes, but it is rising in popularity as a type of alternative fuel for vehicles.  Like oil, this common fuel comes from underground. However, natural gas, as the name implies, is a gas much like air, rather than a liquid like petroleum. It has been found to be one of the most environmentally friendly fuels, and its popularity is growing.

You can find another type of alternative fuel in the form of good old fashioned electricity.  In fact, electric vehicles have been around for a long time, and they are coming back in popularity due to environmental concerns.  Electric vehicles don't burn gasoline in an engine. They use electricity stored on the car in batteries. Sometimes, 12 or 24 batteries, or more, are needed to power the car.

One of the most interesting and promising type of alternative transportation fuels is hydrogen. While mostly only experimental vehicles are operating on this fuel now, the potential for this unique energy source is excellent. Hydrogen is the lightest of all elements and is easy to produce which is why it is sending excitement waves throughout the alternative fuel industry as they next big type of alternative fuel that can be used in vehicles.

These are only a few types of alternative fuels and more are being developed all the time.  With a growing concern over global warming, the use of alternative fuels will grow in popularity over time and you will likely begin to see many other types of alternative fuels make their appearance.

Fuel Cell Technologies

There are several types of fuel cells that have been developed with emerging technologies in the alternative fuel industry.  Fuel cells convert energy like hydrogen into electricity providing a cleaner burning fuel that emits no pollution into the air.  Fuel cell technologies have proven to be life-changing for many people – and the world as well.  With the development of a part that can power a car with little to no emissions will help the environment and reduce global warming.

A polymer exchange membrane fuel cell was developed through technologies that are endorsed by the Department of Energy.  The DOE is focusing on the PEMFC as the most likely candidate for transportation applications.  This type of fuel cell has a higher power density and a relatively low operating temperature (140 – 176 degrees Fahrenheit.  The low operating temperature of this fuel cell means that it doesn’t take very long for the fuel cell to warm up and begin generating electricity.

Most of the fuel cell technologies being explored today are based on using hydrogen as the main fuel source.  With the PEMFC, that is the case.  It is the most prominent type of fuel cell that is currently being looked at to be used in alternative fuel vehicles.

There is also a direct methanol fuel cell that compares with the PEMFC as far as its operating temperature.  However, these fuel cells aren’t as efficient.  Another disadvantage to this fuel cell is that it requires a large amount of platinum to act as a catalyst.  That alone makes it very expensive to run.  We’re sure, however, that emerging technologies in the fuel cell market will improve on this and make it more cost efficient for the average consumer.

One problem with fuel cells that technology has yet to solve is that they are expensive to make.  Many of the components of a fuel cell are expensive thus making the whole fuel cell costly.  In order to be competitively priced (compared to gasoline-powered vehicles), fuel cell systems must cost $35 per kilowatt. Currently, the projected high-volume production price is $110 per kilowatt.

Another problem with fuel cell technologies is that they have yet to be converted enough to allow them to operate in various weather conditions.  The membranes must by hydrated in order to transfer hydrogen protons.  Therefore, researches must find a way to develop fuel cell systems that can continue to operate in sub-zero temperatures, low humidity environments and high operating temperatures. At around 80 degrees Celsius, hydration is lost without a high-pressure hydration system.

Fuel cell technologies are emerging and becoming more and more in-depth every day.  Before long, we’ll have a great alternative to the gasoline powered car just with these tiny fuel cells.

Pros and Cons of Alternative Fuel

Just like with any new, slightly controversial subject, there will always be pros and cons to talk about – and that’s no different with the new drive toward the use of alternative fuels to power our vehicles.  People who support alternative fuels – the pros – could list a hundred ways that alternative fuel helps; on the other hands those who oppose it – the cons – could also list a hundred ways we should use alternative fuels.

To begin with, alternative fuel is cleaner burning than gasoline which is good for the environment – definitely a pro rather than a con.  As we are confronted with many environmental problems these days such as global warming, many people feel we really need to take a moment and realize that it’s up to us to help stop these problems.  When you use an alternative fuel in your car instead of gasoline, you are helping to stop the release of counter-productive elements into the air.

Many alternative fuel vehicles also get better fuel mileage which is another pro over con in the use of alternative fuels.  Especially in hybrid vehicles, miles per gallon can be increased by more than 20 percent over a period of time!  That can make a world of difference to many drivers.

There are many tax incentives that can be found when you buy and use an alternative fuel vehicle.  The government knows that there are pros and cons to the use of alternative fuel, so they want to make it as attractive as possible to the consumer to make the switch.  Who doesn’t want to save money on their taxes?  If you can get a tax break, it can greatly benefit you and you’ll be helping the Earth as well.

As for the cons of alternative fuels, while not as numerous as the pros, the problems can be a bit bigger in the general mind of the consumer.  Alternative fuel vehicles are often more expensive than regular gasoline vehicles.  Even though you can get a tax break for buying one of these vehicles, you can still expect to pay anywhere from 10 to 40 percent more retail price for an alternative fuel vehicle.

The availability of alternative fuels is another huge con to offset the pros.  While many places now carry E85 fuel (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline), it may be difficult to find other alternative fuel types.  Even the stations that do carry E85 aren’t as plentiful as many people would hope and they often find themselves driving out of their way just to “gas” up their cars.

The pros and cons of using alternative fuels can forever be debated.  What side you’re on depends on your commitment to our environment and what you can do to stop some of the deadly effects of the gases we release from our vehicles.

Alternative Fuel Hummer

Ever since the military allowed the design of the hummer to be made public, people have gone crazy over its design.  General Motors acquired the brand name and marketing rights of the hummer and now that alternative fuels have begun to grow in popularity, they are also beginning to make an alternative fuel hummer.

Classically, the hummer has been a non-favorite vehicle for environmentalists because it gets horrific gas mileage and uses more gas than a regular vehicle.  That’s why it made sense for someone to come up the design for an alternative fuel hummer that would be easy on the environment as well as the driver’s pocketbook.

There is a pioneer in the green movement to make a hummer that could run on alternative fuels.  His name is Tom Holm and he is with the non-profit organization Eco-Trek Organization who promotes cleaner air by using cars that burn alternative fuels instead of gasoline.  He decided that he was tired of his gas guzzling hummer and wanted to make it more environmentally friendly considering his association with Eco-Trek.  So he set out to make an alternative fuel hummer.  And he succeeded.

He now sells alternative fuel hummers that have shown to be very popular and selling at a really quick rate.  He “tricks out” his vehicles and makes them visually appealing as well.  He is highly thought of especially among the young crowd who want an environmentally safe vehicle that looks cool and can run on alternative fuel – that would be Tom’s hummers.

His alternative fuel hummers run on bio-diesel made from soybeans and corn.  They use less petroleum than a hybrid car and are capable of running entirely on vegetable oil alone.  That’s right, you can run one of his alternative fuel hummers on Crisco!  This alternative fuel hummer may be the biggest thing on the road, but it doesn't use one drop of petroleum and gets 23 miles per gallon.

Celebrities are big fans of these alternative fuel hummers including California governor Arnold Schwarzneggar who owns two hummers that run on bio-diesel.  He recently had one of his hummers modified to run on hydrogen as well which emits absolutely no greenhouse gas which, of course, is great for the environment.

If you love the look of a hummer but want one that runs on alternative fuel, fear not.  The product is out there to buy ready made or you can one converted into an eco-friendly vehicle.  Keep in mind it will cost you some money, but when you consider what you are doing for our planet, owning and driving an alternative fuel hummer can be well worth the cost!

Fuel Cell Research

Research of fuel cells are revealing new technologies that have real promise for the “green” movement that is taking place when it come to fueling our cars with alternative fuels.  Fuel cells are mechanical devices that use hydrogen or hydrogen-containing fuel such as methane to produce an electric current. Fuel cells are clean, quiet, and highly efficient sources of electricity.  Scientists are doing extensive research on how new, smaller fuel cells can benefit the alternative fuel industry, and their research is very promising.

In 2003, President Bush announced a program called the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative (HFI) during his State of the Union Address. This initiative, supported by legislation in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) and the Advanced Energy Initiative of 2006, aims to develop hydrogen, fuel cell and infrastructure technologies to make fuel-cell vehicles practical and cost-effective by 2020. The United States has dedicated more than one billion dollars to fuel cell research and development so far.
A battery has all of its chemicals stored inside, and it converts those chemicals into electricity too. This means that a battery eventually "goes dead" and you either throw it away or recharge it.  With a fuel cell, chemicals constantly flow into the cell so it never goes dead -- as long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell, the electricity flows out of the cell. Most fuel cells in use today use hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals.
The fuel cell research that is being done today focuses on making the fuel cells smaller and more efficient.  As more and more alternative fuel vehicles are being planned and produced, making the energy source that powers them the best that they can be.  Early fuel cells were large and cumbersome, but research technology has made them smaller and easily adaptable into an alternative fuel vehicle.
Pollution reduction is one of the primary goals of the fuel cell. By comparing a fuel-cell-powered car to a gasoline-engine-powered car and a battery-powered car, you can see how fuel cells might improve the efficiency of cars today.  That’s why scientists have devoted much of their research time towards making these tiny engines smaller and cleaner burning.
The trend these days is toward reducing pollution and the release of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.  With extensive fuel cell research, we are well on the way toward converting our gasoline powered engines (gas guzzlers, if you will) into clean burning vehicles that will run just like the traditional car.  But researching fuel cells needs funding.  It’s a good thing the government has agreed!

Alternative Fuel Facts

There is a huge push in this country for people to switch from gasoline powered vehicles to those that run on alternative fuels.  The fact of the matter is that alternative fuels are environmentally friendly and can actually help conserve natural resources that we use to produce gasoline.  Here are some fast facts about alternative fuel:

* Alternative fuels such as methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and electricity produce fewer tail pipe pollutants than conventional gasoline and diesel fuel. Using them could improve air quality.
* According to EPA, the tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks — unburned hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide — account for almost a third of the air pollution in the U.S. Driving alternative fueled vehicles could reduce the level of vehicle emissions. And many alternative fuels are produced domestically, so they promote economic activity in the U.S.
* Some alternative fuels have lower energy content than gasoline. On a gallon-for-gallon basis, some alternative fuels do not allow consumers to travel as many miles as they could in a vehicle powered by gasoline or diesel fuel. In addition, an AFV may cost more than a comparable gasoline-powered vehicle.
* Alternative fuels are made out of a variety of materials including paper and vegetable oil.  Some alternative fuel vehicles can run on the old grease that restaurants use to fry foods.
* Cars that run on electric power are also considered to be alternative fuel vehicles.

These are only a few of the facts about alternative fuels.  The data is changing every day as researchers are finding out more and more about the trend toward “green” vehicles and “green” fuels.  New sources of alternative fuels are being found and the facts about them will certainly be made public as soon as information is available.

If you are considering switching to an alternative fuel vehicle, it’s important to find out all the facts before you “dive in”.  An alternative fuel vehicle might not meet your needs or might be financially detrimental.  However, when you consider the facts about alternative fuels, it’s difficult not to agree that using them is good for the environment.

The world we live in is ever-changing and part of the reason for that change is due to what we are emitting into the air through our lifestyles.  Looking at the facts about alternative fuels, it becomes very obvious that if we start thinking seriously about using these fuels, we might be able to undo some of the damage we have already done.