Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Alternative fuels, or at least the concept of them, have been around since the early days of the automobile. The gasoline internal combustion engine changed the face of the planet, but since day 1 people have looked for other fuels to power this engine with.

It wasn’t until the American gas shortages of the 1970’s that research into alternative fuels really began in earnest. Faced with shortages of gasoline, there was no choice but to develop some alternatives to the standard gasoline engine. What they discovered was ethanol.

Ethanol

Alcohol made from corn has been around since mankind first learned to cultivate it, but it wasn’t until the 70’s that scientists realized it could be used in gasoline powered vehicles. Ethanol (denatured with enough methanol that people couldn’t drink it) could power an internal combustion engine as effectively as petrochemicals, but without a lot of the harmful byproducts of petrochemical combustion. It was cheaper to make than gasoline, and would require large amounts of corn, which was good for the farmers at the time.

There were other fuels that were discovered to work as well, with modifications to the engine to accomodate the new fuels. Natural gas, propane, and hydrogen will all power an internal combustion engine just as well as gasoline or ethanol. But there were (and still are) problems with fuel storage and delivery, and the engine must be modified to use these fuels - they won’t work in a standard gasoline engine design.

Why Aren’t We Using Alternative Fuels Then?

There is probably no simple answer as to why we aren’t already using these alternative fuels now - 30 years after research first began. Some cite the political clout of the big oil companies, others cite the expense of changing the infrastructure to a new fuel type (which is made all the more difficult by the millions of gasoline vehicles already on the roads), still others say that the technologies simply are not ready yet. The true answer probably lies with a blending of all these reasons and many more - societal inertia comes to mind. People are simply comfortable with there gas guzzlers, and until a good portion of the population wants this change, it won’t happen. But fortunately, this is occurring today. With gas prices spiraling up out of control at the pump, more and more cities cloaked in a thickening layer of smog, and global envornmental awareness hitting it’s peak, popular demand for alternative fuels that are cheaper and greener is at an all-time high.



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Alan Drakovic asked:


The use of alternative fuel is common nowadays because it is cheaper than gasoline or diesel. Also, alternative fuels contain substances which are environment friendly, as such, it can help save and conserve natural resources that are used in order to produce gasoline and provide efficient and clean fuel combustion.

One basic thing to know about alternative fuel is it may be readily used today. The most common machine that is powered by alternative fuel is a car or vehicle. There are many forms of fuel alternative available that may be used in one’s vehicle; it includes liquefied petroleum gas, ethanol, methanol, compressed natural gas, and electricity. The good thing about alternative fuel is that it cost less but without sacrificing the mileage. In addition, its components are made of substances that reduce the risk air pollution. A classic example is electricity. If your car is powered by electricity, there is no chance that air pollution may be emitted.

As stated a while ago, alternative fuel helps save the environment. It removes the risk of creating carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, unburned hydrocarbons and other particulate materials. The poisonous emissions stated usually come from gasoline and diesel powered vehicles and machineries. Alternative fuel minimizes these kinds of emissions, if not absolutely obliterate it.

Another thing to know about alternative fuel is that its materials can be found anywhere, including your own backyard. Some materials include old frying oil, used vegetable oil, recycled paper, plant wastes, animal manure, and other recyclable materials. However, don’t even think about putting vegetable oil in your vehicle. There is a process in converting these materials into alternative fuel.

Some fuel alternative uses a specific vehicle or engine in order to completely operate. This is commonly called as alternative fuel vehicle. Alternative fuel vehicles use a specific alternative fuel in order to work. Am example is an electricity powered car. When using this kind of vehicle, one must charge its battery in order to use it. It is like charging the battery of a digital camera or a cellular phone. The problem with alternative fuel vehicle is that they have a lower energy output. This means that gasoline or diesel vehicles provide farther mileage as compared to alternative fuel vehicles on a full tank basis. Another thing to take note is that alternative fuel vehicles cost more than the conventional gasoline or diesel automobile.

Fuel alternatives are not only used in vehicles, it may also be used in one’s industry or for the industrial operations. Some industrial machines use gasoline or diesel in order to function. Since diesel or gasoline is used, alternative fuel may be used as a replacement. Other industries are compelled by a law or a local ordinance to switch from gasoline to alternative fuels not only to minimize air population, but also to help the government to reduce the production of gasoline and diesel.

Globally, countries opt to operate every machine using alternative fuels. Air pollution is a big problem that a country needs to remedy. Through the use of alternative fuel, it will not only save our environment, but also, be an effective way to conserve our very limited resources.



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Glady Reign asked:


Gasoline prices have fallen. Hence, automakers have to entertain alternative fuel vehicles to provide more options to consumers. This is especially true to automakers that are relying greatly on non-gasoline vehicles.

General Motors Corp. Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said, “With the price of oil at its lowest level in 19 months, we run the risk of reverting back to our traditional energy policy. That is, relying heavily on the lowest-cost energy available on world markets, including imported oil, without providing adequate support for developing alternative sources.” He also added, “I hope oil prices stay low, but I also hope that our nation stays committed to energy security through energy diversity.” The statement of Wagoner came after the revelation of the University of Michigan study that focused on auto executives’ and other experts’ comments on gasoline prices and government fuel economy standards.

At the annual automotive event, an auto supplier executive called for imposing a steep tax on gasoline to help fund the transition to alternative energy sources, especially hydrogen. Alternative fuel, also called alternate fuel, is any substance or material that can be used as fuel other than fossil fuels and other conventional fuels. It also pertains to renewable source of energy.

The essence of alternative fuel is to store energy in a stable form that can be easily transported from the place of production to the end user. The latter is then able to consume the fuel at will. The demand for alternative fuels is triggered by ecological concerns. In 2000, about 8 million vehicles ran on this type of fuel.

Alternative fuels include biodiesel, ethanol, butanol, chemically stored electricity like batteries and fuel cells, hydrogen, methane, vegetable oil, biomass, natural gas, wood and peanut oil. Types of alternative fuels include gasoline type biofuels like butanol, E85 with 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent gasoline blend, P-series fuels and hydrogen internal combustion. To boost the performance of the engine, car systems are modified. Toyota parts and accessories are modified to complement the fuel used by the vehicles. Volvo tie rods and other car parts are also engineered to specifically entertain the new technology.

At the North American International Auto Show, GM is showing off a concept plug-in hybrid named the Volt. It can travel 40 miles on battery power alone. In its totality, Volt offers a bold and quality statement. Chevrolet wants to prove that beauty and efficiency combined in one car.

Detroit’s Big 3 have been urging the Bush administration to help their efforts in developing alternative fuels like biodiesel and E85, an ethanol-based fuel. The Big 3 also seek aid in the production of batteries to power vehicles. It can be recalled that the top executives of the Big 3 met with Bush in November last year to discuss alternative energy plans however; they got no promises from the president.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration sought authority to raise fuel economy requirements for passenger cars. This was opposed by the Big 3. “One of the things that government has to do to really promote energy diversity is proactively support the development of alternative fuel technology,” Wagoner said. “And incentivize consumers through tax credits, fuel subsidies and so on to adopt these exciting new technologies.”

According to a recent survey conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, respondents predicted that fuel prices and fuel economy standards will rise substantially in coming years. It was also anticipated that gas prices will average slightly more than $4 a gallon by 2015 and just over $5 a gallon by 2020. Respondents are composed of automakers, suppliers and other experts.

The study also found that Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for cars are expected to amplify to 33 mpg in 2015 and 38 mpg in 2020 which is a 38 per cent jump from today’s 27.5 mpg standard. For trucks, CAFE standards are predicted to rise to 27 mpg in 2015 and 31 mpg in 2020, a 44 per cent increase from 21.6 mpg today. “Our research reveals surprising agreement among all stakeholders in the automobile industry that fuel prices are on a steep upward trajectory,” said U-M researcher Bruce Belzowski.

“If we’re ever going to get there, we better start. That much I agree with,” said Don Altermatt, senior manager of diesel engineering for DaimlerChrysler AG regarding the proposal to boost alternative fuel sources. “Is there a need for a national energy policy? Absolutely,” added Nancy Gioia, director of sustainable mobility technologies and hybrid vehicle programs at Ford. “We have not got the kind of collaboration yet that we need.”



STANLEY

Steven Magill asked:


is the price of gas rising ever higher each day, but we must also take into consideration the pollution that cars emit and the damage it does to the environment. Those that want to live a greener lifestyle can do so by first finding alternative fuel cars that will be kinder to the global environment and their pockets as well.

The New Science of Alternative Fuel Cars

Alternative fuel cars are being tested at present to ease the dependence on petroleum. An alternative fuel vehicle can be one that produces less pollution or it can focus on sustainable energy sources. This lessens our need to import fuel from the unstable region of the Middle East and also addresses global warming issues that are at the forefront of many governments at this time.

An added bonus in looking into alternative fuel cars in the United States is the Federal tax incentives the government is offering to those citizens that purchase alternative fuel vehicles that qualify according to their standards.

What are Alternative Fuels?

One alternative fuel you may be hearing much about in the news is ethanol. Ethanol is being produced in the U.S. and it comes from crops such as corn. It is said to produce less emission and greenhouse gases than the conventional fuel sources we now use. There is much debate over the use of ethanol as it takes energy in order to produce it and the facts are still up in the air about whether it is truly worth the cost and effort to produce.

Biodiesel is another popular alternative fuel source. It comes from animal fat and vegetable oil. It is said to produce less pollution than conventional diesel fuel that is based on petroleum. Willy Nelson, the famous crooner of country ballads is a huge advocate of using biodiesel for alternative fuel cars.

Natural gas is said to generate less pollution into the air as well as a smaller amount of greenhouse gases. There are not many alternative fuel cars that run on natural gas at present but with the leaps and bounds in science, it is only a matter of time before this may be a viable fossil fuel alternative to petroleum.

Hydrogen is a versatile source for alternative fuel cars. It can be produced from a number of fossil fuel sources such as nuclear power, coal and other sources of renewable energies. Hydropower fuel cell cars are powered by hydrogen and do not let off any harmful pollutants into the air.

What You Can Do

The average consumer can find alternative fuel cars in a variety of ways. Doing the proper research on the best alternative fuel cars for the money they have to spend is one of the best ways to lessen our dependence on foreign oil and to make positive changes that will address global warming and climate change. It takes a village to raise a child the old saying goes, but it also takes that same village to make changes in the way we handle our fuel needs.



DESIREE

Victor Garlington asked:


Fuel cost are rising at record highs around the world. Scientist and entrepreneurs are searching for solutions that will ease the pain at the gas pump. Alternative fuels are the answer, with options for the masses.

1. Fuel cost

Fuel Cost are higher than ever, the world is now searching for alternative solutions to the high demand and high price of petroleum based fuel.

2. Making Biodiesel at Home

People have looked at making biodiesel at home as an extreme alternative to commercially available fuel. This is no longer the case, as fuel prices have skyrocketed making Biodiesel at home is now much easier with the available kits that can be purchased. Residential Biodiesel kits and entry-level commercial production systems are now widely available. Companies like www.70centsagallon.com offers a variety of options to meet the budget and needs of everyone. The use of these systems ranges from the Cummins diesel engine owner to commercial fleet and maintenance managers. They all are looking for a safe, easy and effective solution to relieve the cost of high diesel fuel.

3. Trucks

Any truck with a diesel engine can use Biodiesel safely and economically with Biodiesel that is made on-site by its owner operator. No matter if you have a Ford, Dodge, Chevy or foreign diesel truck, they all can benefit from the use of Biodiesel. Truck owners cannot tell the difference in performance and state their vehicles have more power and run better with less noise.

Commercial truck owners are now converts to the benefits of Biodiesel as seen at www.biotrucker.com.

Alternative fuels offer multiple solutions to serve the needs of the world. Necessity has forced new innovations around the world, to include using garbage, H20, used cooking oil and algae for new fuel sources. This generation will make a difference in the next few years with new technologies that will help mother earth be a greener planet for us all.

Victor Garlington has been a long proponent of bio-fuels and produces bio-fuel for his own vehicles. He is currently helping others discover alternative fuels as a solution to high fuel prices. He can be contacted at victor@70centsagallon.com

 

 



MOHAMED

Rudy Van Lancker asked:


Alternative fuels may seem like a new topic or new invention but in reality companies, organizations and individuals have been researching and developing new ways to power vehicles. In fact, regular gasoline has contained ethanol for some years now and many countries around the global are mandating minimum ethanol requirements. For example, Canada, the United States, Britain, Argentina and Brazil all require a certain percentage of ethanol to gasoline. And as time passes, each couple of years, the minimum increases.

So what are alternative fuels and how do they differ from fossil fuels such as gasoline, kerosene and diesel? These fuels have limited life spans in the sense that when all the oil supply is depleted fossil fuels will no longer exist. Contrarily, alternative fuels are sustainable resources made from various biodegradable substances such as sugar cane, wheat, and corn. Alternative fuels are normally produced from food sources, waste food products, plants and other organisms that can be replenished and continue to grow.

The most prominent alternative fuels in the automotive gasoline market are ethanol and biodiesel. In Canada and the US, ethanol, an alcohol, is typically made with corn or wheat. It is then mixed with gasoline to create a cleaner burning fuel. But the problem still lies with the gasoline portion. As long as gas can be produced, things are fine. But as soon as gas shortages begin, it will be necessary to turn to other fuels. Further, gas is harmful to the environment and to people due to the pollution and the smog. Again new, friendlier technologies are needed. Lastly, with the current state of the economy, gas prices are very high leading consumers to wonder whether better methods of fueling vehicles are available.

Countries who are enforcing minimum mixes of ethanol and gas are ranging from two percent to five percent to ten percent. Experts claim that fifteen to twenty percent of ethanol is the largest amount that can be mixed without having to physically change the mechanisms of present day vehicles. But there are already cars being manufactured that can take as much as eighty-five percent ethanol. The biggest problem is the starting of a vehicle. Apparently, using gas as an igniter is very easy but ethanol is more difficult.

Many areas are also trying to find alternative sources of ethanol than the standard sugar cane, wheat and corn based products. Mesquite, different sweet grasses, vegetable oil, palm oil, soybean oil, recycled cooking oil, and animal fat run-offs are all being researched. In addition to these fuels, other alternative fuels already exist and have been sold for years. Many taxi fleets and delivery trucks use propane as opposed to gas and there are also electric cars.

In the US, in 2003, the president allocated just over one billion dollars to the development of hydrogen powered vehicles, particularly lightweight cars, SUVs and small pickup trucks. And while the process is agreeably very slow, it is estimated that by 2020, there could be as many as two million hydrogen fueled vehicles on the road.

Conversationally, alternative fuels are also known by other names including bio fuels, biodiesel, agro-fuels, green gas, bio energy, and non-conventional fuels.



ZACHARY

Hilal Abdelwali asked:


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 is 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 drivers pocketbook.

There is a pioneer in the green movement to make a hummer that could run on alternative fuels. He is with a non-profit 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 him. 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 and that would be Toms 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 is 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 does not 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!



HUNG