Petroleum will not be a source of fuel for much longer. What are we going to do when it runs out? I will explain alternative sources for fuel or energy for vehicles that are already in use or that have been proposed. With each source I will discuss the pros and then the cons of it. .
The first alternative fuel source I will discuss is Biodiesel.
Biodiesel a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics. Biodiesel is produced from any fat or oil such as soybean oil, through a refinery process called transesterification. This process is a reaction of the oil with an alcohol to remove the glycerin, which is a by-product of biodiesel production. Fuel-grade biodiesel must be produced to strict industry specification in order to insure proper performance. Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Biodiesel that meets ASTM D6751 and is legally registered with the Environmental Protection Agency is a legal motor fuel for sale and distribution. Biodiesel produced must meet rigorous specifications to be used as a fuel. Other cons of Biodiesel include: still in testing phases, it is expensive, and the supplies must be expanded.
The next fuel source is Compressed Natural Gas. This fuel has many pros.
Compressed Natural Gas (also known as CNG) is a clean burning fuel. It has significantly fewer harmful emissions than formulated gasoline. It can be stored in tanks on board a vehicle or cryogenically cooled to a liquid state. This is called Liquefied Natural Gas or (LNG). Refueling can be done easily if you are trained.
