Alternative Fuels of the Future
Provided By: CarInsurance.com
The price of gasoline to fill our thirsty fuel tanks continues to rise. There are new hybrid cars that are supposed to help us pull away from our need of petroleum based vehicles. The hybrid vehicles are mostly hydrogen or electric based. This article will discuss the other alternative fuels that are not as well known.
The Energy Policy Act (EPA) of 1992 defined what alternative fuels were. At that time they listed about 10 types of fuels that were not main stream. While hydrogen and electric cars have become popular since that time the other alternative fuels have remained virtually unknown. We will briefly go over what they are and perhaps there will be one that strikes your fancy and make you want to find a way in which to use it.
Natural gas is one type of alternative fuel. It may be one that more people are familiar with since some cities across the United States have introduced buses that powered by natural gas. This type of fuel is domestically produced so it is more readily available than some others. Natural gas is clean burning and emits fewer environment un-friendly emissions than the average gasoline powered vehicle. Natural gas can be stored as compressed gas or in liquid form.
Propane is another alternative fuel. You are likely most familiar with propane as a way to heat your pool or to use with your grill. Well it can also power your car. It is more easily available than other alternative fuels since there is already a network of pipelines and storage facilities. Many motor homes have uses for propane so it can be found in easily dispensable means. Propane is a by product of processing natural gas and refining crude oil.
Ethanol is a popular fuel or additive to gasoline in countries such as Canada. This type of fuel is thought to increase octane and improve emissions of gasoline. As an alternative fuel it is called E85 which is an 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline mixture. There are other mixture types but they are usually contain more gasoline than ethanol which helps with emission but still makes us rely on gasoline to power the car. Ethanol is an alcohol based fuel. It is produced by fermenting and distilling crops such as corn, barley and wheat.
Bio-diesel is the final type of alternative fuel to be discussed. Bio-diesel is an interesting concept that many believe could go far if more filling stations could be built. This type of fuel is obtained by changing over your diesel vehicle so that it accepts fuel in the way of vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled restaurant greases. Bio-diesel is biodegradable and safe while doing its part for the environment by reducing air pollutants.Bio-diesel can be mixed with petroleum diesel or used in its pure form.
The use of alternative fuels is seen as a way to move away from fossil fuels, which this world only has a finite amount of. Alternative fuels help to reduce the harmful pollutants and emissions that cars put out during their daily operations. If we can begin to use these alternates to normal gasoline we can do our part for the environment as well as hopefully help finance the research of even more renewable fuel sources that can be used in the future.
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