Can’t afford to fill up?

Alternative fuels?

The energy of the sun has been concentrated and stored in petroleum products. Burning fossil fuels releases the suns energy as heat. Most of this we waste but 12% in a gasoline engine and 18% in a diesel engine we use to propel our cars SUV’s trucks and busses.

To save our limited resources we can look at our systems of transportation, our types of fuel burnt, how we use those systems, and what the individual can to due to reduce waste.

Systems of transportation:

We drive ourselves where we want to and when we want to as long as we can afford to fill the tank – car pooling and improved urban design could cut our fuel use in half but would require lifestyle changes – at over $10/gallon we will be closer to these dramatic measures. But until our fuel costs triple and we really begin to conserve, we can only make many small steps that can save us money and help to reduce pollution.

Fuel types available today:

Electricity

convert any number of renewable clean power potential power sources ( wind solar hydro tidal nuclear geothermal ) to electrical energy and store it in batteries ( still 100 year old technology available today) and used it cleanly and quietly to get where we want to go -   down side is lack of driving freedom- plugging your cell-phone into a charger is enough of and in convince – waiting four (4 ) hours to get your car charged  so you can make to the emergency room with a sick child after you have already driven your 80 mile of range out of you battery car makes it hard to sell convince and personal freedom in the electric car transportation world-  With out change in battery technology or $15.00 / gallon fuel we will never be electrified on the highways.

Diesel – It burns more completely but production from crude oil competes with heating oil and jet fuel. Cost per gallon will continue to increase, cold weather unfriendly, maintenance issues and lack of production in popular vehicles will keep diesel in a minority.

Bio- diesel – the original diesel Otto Diesels first engines were designed and build to run on vegetable oil, the conversion to petroleum based diesel was to use up byproduct of refining when home heating converted from oil to nature gas for cleaner more efficient home and industrial heating. Now available in Las Vegas

Compressed natural gas – does not work as well in vehicles because the suns energy stored in natural gas is not concentrated and with out a pipe connected to a large source you have very little range and less power.  Now Available in Las Vegas

Propane – in vehicles is also a low range low power alternative fuel

Gasoline – The perfect fuel for convince.  Causes pollution and waste natural resources but you can fill your tank yourself and drive anywhere and refuel supply is limited and we will run out. You will not be able to afford to fill you tank.

The fuel of the future

Hydrogen -like all the compressed gas (verses liquid) alternate fuels we have listed has limited filling stations and dangerous fuel handling. Now available in Las Vegas

Every fuel but the two we now use require a change of lifestyle.  The limits of these pressurized low power gas (verses liquid) based alternative fuels limit them to use in larger central point low daily mileage range fleets. UPS, Taxis, Government routes, postal trucks.  Just too many problems too many dangers too little mileage per tank and too much time to fill the tank.

We live a life that requires Gasoline and Diesel fuel to transport our selves.