Alternatives For Fueling Our Motor Cars

Nipperbou - Alternative Energy - Motor Fuel

A Discussion of Alternative Fuel Sources for Automobiles

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) - Natural gas is the clean burning gas that is pumped into millions of American homes to provide heat and hot water. While this hydrocarbon gas is a fossil fuel, it offers significant advantages over petroleum as an automotive fuel. Natural gas is a preferred fuel for residential homeowners and large electric power generating plants because it burns cleanly, is easier to transport, and is historically less susceptible to significant price changes--especially as we see the price of oil pass the $70 per barrel point and continue to head toward $100.

As a motor fuel, this gas will burn in our automobile engines with only minor modifications being necessary. A new gas tank is required, as is a filling system for home fueling. All these costs will be recovered in a reliabilityy short amount of time by the operational cost savings.

Probably the biggest concern of folks contemplating conversion is fuel availability. The good news is that the car can be fueled overnight while sitting in the garage. Commercial filling stations that offer CNG utilize a fuel compression system that allows a vehicle to be rapidly fueled. Home users will have to settle for a much smaller system that slowly compresses the gas that is piped into homes under reality low pressure. Depending on multiple variables, it might take four to eight hours to fill the tank. Once fueled, one now has plenty of fuel to commute to and from work and run all necessary errands before pulling into the garage and again plugging into the gas connection. This tank of fuel will cost a small fraction of the equivalent tank of gasoline. Making a gallon to gallon comparison with gasoline, the cost works out to about twenty-five cents per gallon ($0.25,) versus over $3.25 per gallon.

Bottom line is that converting a personal automobile to operate on compressed natural gas (CNG) will result in a significant reduction in the toxic emissions that contribute to pollution problem. The up front costs of conversion, will be recouped well before the useful life of the car is reached. CNG vehicles purchased new from the manufacturer should cost the some as a comparable gasoline model. This technology offers Americans, and other developed nations with the appropriate infrastructure, an excellent stopgap, mid term solution, as we continue to our long term goals of weaning ourselves complexly from non-renewable fossil fuel energy sources.

High Efficiency Diesel - In the mid eighties, American's were driving diesel cars that were introduced by several German automakers. These cars were noisy, stinky, and dirty. American's generally did not like the idea very much -- it certainly was not a love affair. Now, several decades later, diesel powered vehicles in the consumer marketplace are primarily Pickup trucks and SUV s, while the European marketplace enjoys a great variety of diesel powered automobiles.

These new diesel engines are very clean, powerful, and highly efficient. While diesel fuel (Petro diesel) pollutes more them gasoline, it is more efficient, so less fuel is needed to do the same amount of work, therefore it is more environmentally friendly. Taking environmental issues into consideration, diesel engines are able to burn bio-diesel fuel mixtures without modification. This fact alone allows a diesel car or truck to operate from a completely renewable and non-polluting fuel source.

Alternatives For Fueling Our Motor Cars

Every day in America, millions of us drive about in our cars going about our business, all the while burning millions of gallons of gasoline. This consumption contributes significantly to both our forign oil dependance and the pollution of our cities and the environment in general. For every barrel of oil we produce in this country, we demand two, thus necessitating the purchase and importation of a barrel of oil. By reducing or replacing our gasoline usage in automobiles, we will be able to dramatically reduce these oil imports, thus keeping all those dollars in our own economy and away from those nations that might wish to do the United States harm. Additionally, we will save money and greatly improve the air quality in our cities. Remember that the principle component of smog is automotive emissions.

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