Alternative Fuel Facts


There is a huge push in this country for people to switch from gasoline powered vehicles to those that run on alternative fuels.  The fact of the matter is that alternative fuels are environmentally friendly and can actually help conserve natural resources that we use to produce gasoline.  Here are some fast facts about alternative fuel:

* Alternative fuels such as methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and electricity produce fewer tail pipe pollutants than conventional gasoline and diesel fuel. Using them could improve air quality.
* According to EPA, the tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks — unburned hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide — account for almost a third of the air pollution in the U.S. Driving alternative fueled vehicles could reduce the level of vehicle emissions. And many alternative fuels are produced domestically, so they promote economic activity in the U.S.
* Some alternative fuels have lower energy content than gasoline. On a gallon-for-gallon basis, some alternative fuels do not allow consumers to travel as many miles as they could in a vehicle powered by gasoline or diesel fuel. In addition, an AFV may cost more than a comparable gasoline-powered vehicle.
* Alternative fuels are made out of a variety of materials including paper and vegetable oil.  Some alternative fuel vehicles can run on the old grease that restaurants use to fry foods.
* Cars that run on electric power are also considered to be alternative fuel vehicles.

These are only a few of the facts about alternative fuels.  The data is changing every day as researchers are finding out more and more about the trend toward “green” vehicles and “green” fuels.  New sources of alternative fuels are being found and the facts about them will certainly be made public as soon as information is available.

If you are considering switching to an alternative fuel vehicle, it’s important to find out all the facts before you “dive in”.  An alternative fuel vehicle might not meet your needs or might be financially detrimental.  However, when you consider the facts about alternative fuels, it’s difficult not to agree that using them is good for the environment.

The world we live in is ever-changing and part of the reason for that change is due to what we are emitting into the air through our lifestyles.  Looking at the facts about alternative fuels, it becomes very obvious that if we start thinking seriously about using these fuels, we might be able to undo some of the damage we have already done.