Fuel Alternative

When considering the confusing maze of alternative fuel options, weighing their relative merits and shortcomings, it can be easy to lose sight of why so many are eager to shift away from the fuel that has powered the automobile during most of its first century.

Runaway cost was once a compelling reason to explore biofuels, electric hybrids and hydrogen-based technologies, but it may be several years before the supply of renewable alternatives reigns in the expense of filling up. Until then, consumers must consider the total global cost of petrochemical dependence, and take that into account when considering joining the green car revolution.
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One of the most intriguing possibilities for alternative fuels is the most basic and abundant element in existence. Seductive in its simplicity, the hydrogen molecule has been an intense subject of interest for physicists and engineers looking for a source to power everything from our homes to the journey to the stars.

We have already seen the mighty potential of hydrogen…empires have been built and crumbled on the mere threat of missiles containing the explosive energy of a small star. Indeed, all the energy on the Earth ultimately derives from the ferocious hydrofusion reactions at the core of the Sun.
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Among the shiny new electric hybrids, flex-fuel vehicles, and biofuel conversions, a few ideas got missed along the way. Some are in limited use by various municipalities on an experimental basis; others died for lack of financial backing or some critical deficit which may yet be addressed.

The oil crisis of the 1970’s sent many a backyard inventor to the workbench for an answer that would stand the test of time. Many intriguing novelties ensued, though few which have entered mass production. Here are a few of the lesser-known developments in alternative fueling which are on the verge of feasibility:

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As the mounting price and ecological cost of gasoline and diesel drives more and more consumers to demand a cheaper and safer alternative, governments and corporations around the globe are sleepily responding to the call, investing unprecedented resources toward finding a renewable substitute for fossil fuels.

The majority of developments have looked in two directions: biofuels, and electric-based solutions. Each of these have shown both tremendous potential as well as pitfalls, and proponents of each method are vocal in pointing out the shortcomings of the other.
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When seeking an alternative to petroleum-based combustibles for use in passenger vehicles, corn-based alcohol originally showed some distinct advantages over gasoline. Burning more cleanly than the heavy hydrocarbons drilled in the oil fields, ethanol as an additive or replacement reduces emissions of greenhouse gases to a considerable extent.

It’s renewable, too-unlike fossil fuels, which experts say may be entirely diminished before the century’s end. The supply of ethanol can be replenished each year, bringing fallow farmlands back into production and returning farmers to the field.
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One unintended side effect of developing fuels agriculturally has been an attendant increase in the price of those crops we depend on to feed the planet. While largely a result of futures speculations and commodity trading, the alarming spike in the cost of essential food products has dimmed the enthusiasm of many biofuel advocates.

Water requirements, fertilizer contamination, and competition for prime farmland all combine to render corn and soybean models of biofuel unsustainable for the future, despite government mandates and a strong public impetus toward green vehicle alternatives.
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High prices at the pump have prompted many consumers to search for easy ways to stretch that gallon a little further. Having exhausted the standard tips, such as maintaining tire pressure and a clean air filter, and unable to invest in a flex-fuel vehicle or electric hybrid, more and more drivers are trying additives which promise to improve fuel economy.

Most of these formulations work off the same basic concept: the internal combustion engine is monstrously inefficient, leaving a significant amount of your expensive gasoline or diesel fuel unconsumed in the tailpipe emissions. Not only is this bad for your pocketbook, it’s bad for the environment, helping bring about smog, acid rain, and the greenhouse effect.
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The latest wave in automotive engineering has brought about rapid innovations in the development of alternative fuel vehicles. Under pressure from consumers as well as government mandate, vehicle manufacturers large and small have launched a new generation of versatile, efficient models designed to run on renewable energy.

From Toyota and Honda to Ford and GM, most of the major auto lines now sport at least one version of flex-fuel in several major classes, and the trend will very likely sweep the industry. Unlike traditional gasoline engines, flexible fuel sedans, trucks and, most recently, sport utility vehicles, are able to fill up on either gasoline, a biofuel such as ethanol, or some mixture in between.
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The notion of utilizing electricity to partially power a vehicle is nothing new. On the contrary, all motor vehicles include electrical mechanism for starting the engine and powering accessories such as lights, fans and sound systems, although the alternator on any functioning standard-gasoline vehicle will be producing far more energy that the vehicle’s accessory power needs use.

So taking the next step toward a fully electric car was one of the earliest answers to the looming shortage of petroleum fuels. As early as the 1980’s, prototypes were unveiled which used electrical rather than internal combustion motors.
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As the mounting price and ecological cost of gasoline and diesel drives more and more consumers to demand a cheaper and safer alternative, governments and corporations around the globe are sleepily responding to the call, investing unprecedented resources toward finding a renewable substitute for fossil fuels.

The majority of developments have looked in two directions: biofuels, and electric-based solutions. Each of these have shown both tremendous potential as well as pitfalls, and proponents of each method are vocal in pointing out the shortcomings of the other.
Read the rest of this entry »