Since the cost of a gallon of gasoline has skyrocketed to over four dollars a gallon, researchers are busy looking for alternative fuels that can save us money. Three of these include: Biodiesel, Electricity, and Ethanol.
Biodiesel is a renewable fuel produced by a variety of vegetable oils and animal fats. It can be used in a pure form or blended with other products. To the delight of environmentalists, biodiesel burns clean and it is non toxic and biodegradable. It's also not as combustible and it is relatively easy to produce even at home, though home production is not recommended. Unfortunately, it could potentially blow up a diesel engine unless very precise guidelines aren't followed. Its safety in handling, storing and transporting makes it an interesting alternative when we consider security and health issues. The U. S. biodiesel industry currently is very small but growing rapidly.
Electricity can be used to power pure electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) have an electric motor and use electricity which is stored in batteries. Storage capacity and distance are limited. Some of the vehicles have chargers on board, while others require a plug-in. Electric cars are small and very quiet, and they don't have any tail pipe emissions. They're mostly used for neighborhood commuting, light hauling and delivery with a maximum speed of 35 mph. The batteries of these cars run about 20,000 miles and need replacing on average every four years. A completely electric model has yet to be produced by any of the major manufacturers, on the basis that demand is not strong. Demand is, however, on the rise for independent manufacturers who focus their efforts on meeting the needs of a niche market.
Ethanol is a renewable fuel extracted from several plants also known as biomass. While the US prefer to produce ethanol from corn, other countries such as Brazil use sugar cane. It contains the same chemical compound found in alcohol. Research is still ongoing in regard to Cellulosic Ethanol Feedstock. This includes making the fuel from agricultural residue such as wheat straw and leaves, forestry wastes such as wood chips and sawdust and even plant derived household garbage together with waste paper products. Different types of grass are grown with this purpose in mind. A few of the perks would be: Domestic production, low greenhouse emissions, and growth of employment opportunities.
Compared to gasoline, a gallon of pure ethanol contains 34% less energy and has a lower mileage performance. While it can only be used in flex fuel vehicles, it's cost is usually kept low to compete with gasoline. The U.S. Department of Energy supports these alternative fuels on the basis of higher energy security, and a lower impact on public health and the environment. It is estimated that ethanol and biofuels will likely reduce over 30% of gas demand in the United States alone by the year 2030. Usually, when demand drops, so do prices.
Biodiesel is a renewable fuel produced by a variety of vegetable oils and animal fats. It can be used in a pure form or blended with other products. To the delight of environmentalists, biodiesel burns clean and it is non toxic and biodegradable. It's also not as combustible and it is relatively easy to produce even at home, though home production is not recommended. Unfortunately, it could potentially blow up a diesel engine unless very precise guidelines aren't followed. Its safety in handling, storing and transporting makes it an interesting alternative when we consider security and health issues. The U. S. biodiesel industry currently is very small but growing rapidly.
Electricity can be used to power pure electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) have an electric motor and use electricity which is stored in batteries. Storage capacity and distance are limited. Some of the vehicles have chargers on board, while others require a plug-in. Electric cars are small and very quiet, and they don't have any tail pipe emissions. They're mostly used for neighborhood commuting, light hauling and delivery with a maximum speed of 35 mph. The batteries of these cars run about 20,000 miles and need replacing on average every four years. A completely electric model has yet to be produced by any of the major manufacturers, on the basis that demand is not strong. Demand is, however, on the rise for independent manufacturers who focus their efforts on meeting the needs of a niche market.
Ethanol is a renewable fuel extracted from several plants also known as biomass. While the US prefer to produce ethanol from corn, other countries such as Brazil use sugar cane. It contains the same chemical compound found in alcohol. Research is still ongoing in regard to Cellulosic Ethanol Feedstock. This includes making the fuel from agricultural residue such as wheat straw and leaves, forestry wastes such as wood chips and sawdust and even plant derived household garbage together with waste paper products. Different types of grass are grown with this purpose in mind. A few of the perks would be: Domestic production, low greenhouse emissions, and growth of employment opportunities.
Compared to gasoline, a gallon of pure ethanol contains 34% less energy and has a lower mileage performance. While it can only be used in flex fuel vehicles, it's cost is usually kept low to compete with gasoline. The U.S. Department of Energy supports these alternative fuels on the basis of higher energy security, and a lower impact on public health and the environment. It is estimated that ethanol and biofuels will likely reduce over 30% of gas demand in the United States alone by the year 2030. Usually, when demand drops, so do prices.
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