It should come as no great surprise that fuel prices are once again on the rise. This traditionally happens every summer when Americans are traveling more. Coincidence? Call it supply and demand, call it gouging, either way, it happens. This has been a leading factor in seeking new alternative automobile fuels, and it may surprise you to learn that we are further ahead than you may think.
While hydrogen gas may conjure up visions of zeppelins, it can also be used to fuel cars known as fuel cell vehicles. In these type vehicles, hydrogen generates electricity, and is then used to power the internal electric motor. In essence, a chemical process within the fuel cell combines hydrogen with oxygen to create an electrical charge. Another tremendous advantage is that the only byproduct is harmless water vapor. Honda Motors is currently in the test phases with this product, and things are going well.
Though we may try our very best to limit the amount of fatty food and grease in our diets, it may be just what your engine craves, if it’s designed to run on biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel is actually made from grease and cooking oil. The same stuff restaurants pay to dispose of. It is not recommended that you run out and pour a bottle of Wesson oil in your gas tank, there is a special chemical process needed to convert the grease to biodiesel fuel.
Now that we’ve figured out how to convert McDonald’s greasy after products, how about a nice heaping helping of veggies? Vegetables are being converted to Ethanol, which is becoming increasingly more popular, and is now being used as a gasoline additive to help reduce carbon emissions. It’s actually a type of alcohol made from plant matter, and in most cases in the US, corn is the base ingredient. In countries like Brazil where corn is not as plentiful, they substitute sugar cane. Engines are being tested which would run on a higher percentage of ethanol to gasoline. Some fear farmers would be more inclined to devote their crops to ethanol rather than food, seeking higher profit margins for their crops, but this is purely a speculative theory.
The very same thing the top chefs of the world prefer cooking with, natural gas, is already on the road being tested as an alternative fuel. Being a fossil fuel it must be drilled for, but it is available in abundant supply, and it burns much cleaner than gasoline.
Ever wish your car could run on air? There are some cars that can. Sort of. Air is mixed with gasoline in high pressure tubes, creating compression. The compression generates enough power to reduce fuel consumption dramatically by driving the engine’s pistons.
What’s next in the experimental world of alternative fuels is anybody’s guess. It is refreshing to know strides are being made in reducing emissions, and in finding methods which are kinder to our natural resources, and hopefully to our wallets.
