Alternative Fuel Sources

We all tend to think about alternative sources of fuel only when the prices go up. What we think of is our wallets, and I am sure in the long run that we don't even think of it. It will be the time, when there would be fuel scarcity and people will be ready to shell out crazy money to get it. It is wise to utilize alternative fuels to make sure that natural fuels do not exhaust before time.

What are Alternative Fuels?

Alternative fuels are those fuels which can be used instead of the limited and natural resources found on Earth. These mostly are resources other than petroleum. They are those substances or materials which can be used in place of conventional fuels, which are limited. Some of these are renewable resources, which can be used or utilized over, and few of these are produced domestically.

It is feared that conventional fuels like petroleum, coal, and oil will be finished soon. Hence, there is a need for us to utilize alternative fuels instead. Few car manufacturers have already started producing hybrid cars, doing their bit for the purpose. It not only saves fuel but also is less in pollution. Alternative fuels are also known as non-conventional fuels or advanced fuels. Few of the alternative fuels are biodiesel, hydrogen, biomass sources, biofuels, bioalcohols like butanol, methanol, ethanol, chemically stored electricity in the form of batteries and fuel cells, etc.

List of Alternative Fuels

Alternative fuels helps in clean burning and are probably the best way to replenish the existing stock of natural resources. Let's look at some of the best alternative fuel sources, which can be used as the best alternatives to fossil fuels.

Biodiesel
It is made by chemical process from animal fat or vegetable oils. Biodiesel is a clean burning alternative fuel which is environment friendly, free of sulfur, biodegradable and is non-toxic. It can be used as 100% fuel, a direct substitute for diesel engines.

E85
E85 is a type of fuel which is an alternative to gasoline. It is a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. E85 is hard to find, because there are not a lot of filling stations keeping E85. Also at the same time, E85 is less efficient as compared to gasoline. If a car requires one gallon to cover a distance, the same will be covered by almost twice of E85, or more.

Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a compound of water. It is also one of the most valuable sources of energy. It is used as an energy source from fuel cells and batteries. It burns more efficiently in fuel cells than gasoline. There are few car manufacturers which have claimed producing hydrogen powered fuel cell cars, though not in huge numbers. It can prove to be one of the best alternative fuel sources for automobiles.

Natural Gas
Natural gas is another clean burning fuel and is also domestically available. In the United States, most of the natural gas is produced domestically. It is from gas wells and crude oil production, natural gas is made. Because of its better performance and lower emissions, natural gas is at much better position than that of gasoline and diesel. The most beneficial part of using natural gas is that, it reduces 90 percent of carbon monoxide as compared to gas or diesel.

Ethanol
Ethanol is produced domestically and is a type of alternative fuel, which produces less greenhouse emissions as compared to conventional fuels. It is produced from crops like wheat, corn and barley. It can also be produced from sugar or forms of sugar. Ethanol is a great product which can be produced from biomaterials and waste materials.

Alternative fuel sources are great to use, and at least by using them over conventional resources we can do our bit for the environment. To promote more use of it, tax incentives are offered by the Federal Government for those who purchase qualifying alternative fuel vehicles. I think it's a great way to promote more use of valuable alternative resources.