What Is An Alternative Fuel?
Believe it ?r not, the history ?f alternative fuel? dat?s back to the early 1900’s. Back t?en, gasoline pow?red c?rs w?re difficult t? start and more ?nd mor? people cho?e t? opt fo? electric cars. Electric?ty was actually the f?rst ty?e ?f alternat?ve fuel. However, t?e ?istory of ?lternative f?els ?s really l?ng and varied ?s ?e tra?el from t?ose elect?ic c?rs ?f yore t? the alternative fuels we use today.
In the 1970’s, America experienced a sever? gasoline shortage. This is really wher? the modern history ?f alternativ? fu?ls began. Scientists began to ?cramble for other wa?s to powe? our cars and tr?cks s? t?at ou? dependence on ?il and gas?line w?sn’t so definitiv?. W?at th?y found ?as ? ?roduct called ethanol which wa? made from corn.
Ethanol i? basically grain alco?ol – moon?hine, ?f yo? will. Researcher? found that ? form of grain alcoh?l wit? denatured product added could eff?ctively po?er ? combustion engine just ?s well as petroleum based gasol?ne and with le?s h?rmful emissions. Ethanol w?s go?d for the environment and al?ost ?s che?p t? make as gasoline. Plus, it helped American far?ers since la?ge a?ounts of c?rn wer? required t? mak? ethanol.
Scientists also found that other typ?s of gases su?h as ?ethane, propane, ?nd h?drogen could also power vehicles. However, the?e w?re probl?ms wit? running thes? gases th?ough traditional engin?s and modifications had to ?e mad?. This is wher? another pa?t of the h?story ?f alternative fuels starts – t?e development of the alte?native fuel vehicle.
Some say th?t th? history of alternative fuel? has le?s to do with technology ?nd environmental concerns so m?ch as it has to do with political power. Perha?s to ? certain ext?nt, this ?s true. Politician? l?ke to be heroe?. W?th gl?bal warming becoming ? h?ge political issue, many of thos? politicians support efforts t? develop and mar?et ?lternative fuels ?n mass.
However, you h?ve t? admit that studi?s h?ve ?roven th?t ?lternative fuels d? help the environment in m?ny ways. Whet?er t?e ?se of alternativ? fu?ls is politically ?otivated o? done so for genuine reasons, ?t really doesn’t matter.
The hi?tory of alternative fuels continues to be made and ?dded to. As new technologies ?merge, new cha?ters will ?e added to the h?story b?ok of alternative fuel?. It’s an excit?ng and promising ?rea of the history of man-made fuels ?nd ?ne t?at can help revolutioniz? th? automobile ind?stry in ?ays that would be so good for ever?one ?n t?e world!
The ?est definition of ?n alternative fu?l, is on? th?t i? not based on crude oil. They a?e si?ply fu?ls that replace conv?ntional gasoline as ? means of po?ering vehicles. Alte?native fuel? have desir?ble energy efficiency and ?ollution reduction f?atures. The 1990 Clean Air Act en?ourages development and ?ale of alternative fuels.
More specif?cally, the Energ? Policy Act (EP Act) of 1993 gav? ? ?ore in-depth def?nition of what th?y consider to b? alternative fuels. Th? United States Department of Energy recognizes the following ?s alternative fuels:
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Mixtures containing 85% or more by volume of alcohol fuel, including methanol and denatured ethanol
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Natural gas (compressed or liquefied)
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Liquefied petroleum gas (propane)
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Hydrogen
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Coal-derived liquid fuels
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Fuels derived from biological materials
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Electricity (including electricity from solar energy)
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100% Bio-diesel (B100)
Through t?e Alt?rnative Fuel P?tition Program, t?ird parti?s can petit?on th? Department of Energy to add alternative fuels to t?e above list. People are always on the looko?t for new ?ays t? ?ombat rising fuel pri?es ?nd develop fu?ls that are n?t only go?d for t?e environment, but for th? consu?er’s checkb?ok as well.
Basically, alternative fuels include ?ethane, propane, ethanol, and compressed gas among others. We’ll examine some of th?se ? little later, ?ut alternative fuels don’t fall into just one neat compact category, othe? than the on? t?at defines them ?s an option over gasoline.
It’s ?ind ?f exc?ting to t?ink about th? f?ct that we can n?w p?wer o?r v?hicles us?ng things like v?getable oil, animal fats, and ?ven wood! It brings to mind the movie “B?ck to th? Future” where Doc would power his DeLorean tim? machine using garbage as fuel!
Probably the biggest advantage to u?ing alternative fuels i? th?t they ar? ver? ?nvironmentally friendly. Som? peo?le believ? that the pollutants that a?e releas?d in th? a?r f?om conventional gasoline a?e contributing to the global warming phenomenon. There’s no d?ubt that th? exhaust fumes pr?duce smog and in l?rge c?ties, this ?s ? real problem. T?ere i? als? t?e concern that additiv?s t? th? gasoline ar? ma?ing the?e ?ay into ground water and into humans.
Just like ?ith any new, slightly controversial ?ubject, there will always be pros and cons to talk about – and that’s no different with the new dr?ve toward the u?e of alte?native fuels t? p?wer our v?hicles. People who support alternative fuels – the pros – could list a hundred ways that alternative fuel help? on the oth?r hands those who oppose it – the cons – could also list a ?undred ways that alternative fuels are not useful.
To begin with, alternativ? fuel is cleaner burning t?an gasoline whi?h ?s good fo? t?e environment – definitely ? p?o rat?er than ? con. As w? are confronted w?th many environmental probl?ms these days ?uch a? global warming, ?any people f?el w? really need to take a moment and realiz? th?t it’s up to u? to help stop these pr?blems. When yo? us? an alternative f?el in your ?ar instead of gasoline, y?u are helping to ?top the rele?se of counter-productive elements into t?e air.
Many alternative fuel v?hicles also get better fu?l mile?ge which is another pro ?n t?e u?e of alte?native f?els. Especially ?n hybrid vehicles, miles pe? gallon can ?e incre?sed by m?re than 20 ?ercent over a peri?d of time! That c?n make a world ?f difference to man? drivers.
There ar? many tax incentives th?t can be fo?nd when you buy and us? an alternative fuel vehicle. The government ?nows that ther? are pr?s and cons t? the use of alternati?e fu?l, so th?y want to ma?e ?t as attractive a? possible to the consumer t? make the swit?h. Who doesn’t want to ?ave mon?y on th?ir taxes? If yo? can get a tax brea?, it c?n gr?atly benefit yo? and you’ll ?e helping the Ea?th as well.
As for the c?ns ?f alternative fuel?, while not a? numerous as the pro?, th? problems can b? a bit ?igger in the general mind of t?e ?onsumer. Altern?tive fuel vehicles are often more expensive than regular gasoline vehicles. Even t?ough you can get ? t?x break for buying ?ne ?f these vehi?les, you can ?till expect t? ?ay anywhere f?om 10 to 40 percent ?ore retail pric? for an alternative fuel vehicle. And b?cause of pressure from alternativ? fuels auto makers ?re produ?ing ?ome very fuel effici?nt gasoline cars.
The availability of alternative fuels is anothe? ?uge con to offset t?e pros. While ?any place? no? car?y E85 fuel (85 p?rcent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline), it ma? be difficult to find oth?r alternative fuel types. Even the stations that do carr? E85 aren’t ?s plentiful as many people wo?ld hope and they often find themselves driving o?t of their ?ay just t? “gas” up their cars.
The pros ?nd cons ?f using alternative fuels c?n forever be debated. What side you’re on dep?nds ?n you? comm?tment t? ou? envi?onment and wh?t you ?an d? t? sto? ?ome of t?e deadl? effects of the gases ?e r?lease fro? ou? vehicles.
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