Top Contender For Alternative Fuels of the Future

The energy crunch has forced many nations to look for alternative power. In addition rising gas prices in the US have called for an alternative fuel source. Gasoline is not only polluting the earth, but it is also running out, and America is scrambling to find an alternative. Some of the top contenders for alternative fuels of the future are bio diesel, ethanol, and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

Europeans have removed most of the pollutants from diesel, and bio diesel is the result. Bio diesel reduces hydrocarbons by 60 percent, carbon monoxide by 40 percent, and particulate by more than 40 percent. Bio diesel is made from feedstock crops, and the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the feedstock is equal to the amount later emitted by the vehicle using fuel. Diesel engines achieve roughly 50 percent higher fuel economy than gasoline engines. For example, a Honda Accord with a diesel engine is rated at 43.3 MPG; 49 percent higher than the Accord with a gasoline engine. Diesel engines are more expensive than gasoline, but the fuel costs less. The US is not convinced diesel should be one of the top contenders for alternative fuels of the future. At the end of 2006, federal pollution rules will tighten, pushing cleaner diesel models out of the entire U.S. market.

Ethanol is the most popular alternative fuel. Ethanol comes from starchy crops, sugary crops, or cellulosic plants. The US makes nearly all of its ethanol using corn, but it’s easier and more efficient to produce it from sugar crops. Lately, much of the news about ethanol has been centered around the E85 mixture (85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline). E85 blends can only be used on vehicles designed for that fuel, and 22 E85-compatible cars and trucks are currently available. Using the E85 ethanol reduces smog-forming emissions by 50 percent relative to gasoline. However, E85-powered vehicles contribute to global warming, although experts disagree on how much greenhouse gas is emitted. Ethanol can be more expensive than gasoline, depending on where you live. For example, on the West Coast, filling up with ethanol would cost 35 cents more per gallon, than in the Midwest. Ethanol also contains less energy than gasoline, which means fuel economy will decrease by 20-to30 percent. Even though, the price of E85 at the pump is cheaper than gasoline, using ethanol may not be less expensive in the end.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is the last of the top contenders for alternative fuels of the future. Compared to gasoline, CNG is cleaner, less expensive, and generally comes from domestic reserves. However, CNG vehicles require some compromises, including the use of a special refueling infrastructure. CNG vehicles store natural gas in pressurized tanks and burn the gas in slightly modified internal combustion engines, and would be more efficient than gasoline engines. CNG vehicles emit fewer smog forming pollutants than hybrids. However, the CNG version of a Honda Civic emits nearly 30 percent more greenhouse gases than the Civic Hybrid.

In the US only 1 percent of natural gas is used in fueling vehicles. Most CNG vehicles in the US are used in private, and government fleets. CNG is available through a network of almost 750 stations in the United States, but nearly a quarter of them are in California. So, CNG drivers in other states have fewer fueling options, but CNG offers the option of fueling up in your garage, as long as you have a natural gas line. CNG has a lower price than gasoline, but the vehicles have lower fuel efficiency than hybrids. So, CNG vehicles yield fuel cost savings when compared to conventional vehicles, but cannot be operated as economically as hybrids.

There are actually several more options to consider, when deciding the top contenders for alternative fuels of the future. Such as, liquid coal, hydrogen fuel cell cars, and hybrid cars. Liquid coal is yet to be fully developed, and is too expensive to use. Hydrogen fuel cells are too expensive to produce, because hydrogen is not found in nature. The rollout will cost about $100 billion; the fuel cell technology could be decades away. The hybrid car is probably the best alternative, but it doesn’t get rid of our need for gasoline. The alternative fuel seems to be so close, yet it is so far

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For more on alternative fuel visit EERE - The Alternative Fuels Data Center.