Are other countries looking for alternative fuels? Is it an US issue?

Question

Are other countries looking for alternative fuels? Is it an US issue?

Answer 1

Yes. It is definitely a global issue.

p.s. Patmo: propane doesn't smell.... There is an additive so you can smell if there is a leak.

Answer 2

many other countries already really more on other sources

Brazil is almost completly reliant on ethenol (corn based fuel)

and Peru, equador and I believe Columbia use Propane based cars, though they still use gas

(i think ethenol is the better way to go, propane cars smell, well like propane, plus it has a very high potential to explode in the event of a crash)

Answer 3

Probably more than in the US because fuel has been much higher in cost in most countries for many years.

I find it interesting that different countries have chosen different options. Europe and Japan have had very high gas prices for years. Japan has probably led the way in small more fuel efficient gas engines. Europe has chosen more very fuel efficient diesel engines. South America seems to be going Ethanol. The US seems to be leaning to more Hybrids, with Hydrogen Fuel Cells in the future.

Answer 4

there are other countries realing on alternitive fuel at this time. there is allot of research going into hydrogen lately.

www.itm-power.com is a great site to show you how some countries are more advanced than the united states.

Answer 5

Actually it is a field in which the US pioneered in the 70´s after the first oil crisis and soon forgot about it...

Alternative fuels and renewables then really came back to life by the end of the 80´s and during the 90´s, mainly in Denmark (wind power) and Germany (solar power) while Japanese efforts stalled. The US back then was focusing on electric cars and hydrogen fuels. This has then proven to be not necessarily the right approach as electricity and hydrogen are not a form of primary energy and need a large other form of energy to be available (nuclear, natural gas, coal, etc...).

The real rebirth of renwable energies is mostly the result of energy policies from the EU (especially Germany) and California.

Meanwhile, several other countries have developped their own effort and one of the largest universities to study solar power is in Thailand. India has just launched subsidies for solar power at the same level as EU levels and many US states are pushing their own policies (research, incentives and deployment) much further than the federal level