Merely a few short years ago, you just had one alternative when you wanted to fill your gas tank. Go to the gas station. Now with all the concern over climate change, reduction of fossil fuel sources and general concerns about the environment, many are working overtime on viable
alternative fuel sources. Times have changed, and many alternative fuel sources have come out.
One of these fuel sources is bio-diesel. Bio-diesel can be produced from many sources, including vegetable oil and animal fats. Soybean oil, and restaurant grease are just a few of the more common sources because it is cheap, and widely available. Just over 7 lbs. of soybean oil will make a gallon of bio-diesel fuel. The cost of soybean oil is about .20, thus a gallon of diesel would be just $1.50. If you are employing the cold press method to extract the oil, the by-product of this is a solid soybean cake, which is able to be sold to farmers to feed their livestock, cutting costs for making bio-diesel from soybean oil down to almost zero. It takes little effort and knowhow to make your own bio-diesel. In addition, there are no necessary conversions to your diesel vehicle. Just fuel up and go.
Ethanol is another
fuel alternative that is produced from corn or other vegetable crops, and it produces fewer emissions and greenhouse gases. Natural gas and propane are also widely utilized, because not only are both found in abundance in the US, but they burn better and cleaner, producing fewer pollutants than conventional fuel sources. There are also hydrogen fuel cells which are becoming easier to make. Automobiles that run off of hydrogen fuel cells emit no harmful pollutants, only water. since natural gas and liquid propane burn hotter, you may need to adjust your motor.
There are other choices such as electric hybrid automobiles. These cars contain 2 motors, a small fuel engine, and an electric motor. The two are perfectly synchronized, with the electric motor operating the car in smaller applications, like just driving around town. When you need more acceleration or torque, the internal combustion engine kicks in and provides the extra power you need. While the combustion motor is engaged, it also creates enough electrical power to recharge the electrical system. These are in wide use now.
Compressed air cars are now making their way into the market also. This idea is being developed in Nice, in France. There is a specific motor that has hot combustion processes. A large compressed air cylinder, mounted under the vehicle, powers the motor with air pressure. When the air is released it makes the pistons turn, causing the automobile to move. When the tank is empty, the car switches to an electric motor. When the electric motor is in use, it also operates a compressor to refill the air tank. Like electric vehicles, these automobiles are designed for in-town driving.
