Which alternative fuel is good?

Question

Which alternative fuel is good?

Answer 1

Hydrogen produced using sun and wind electricity

Answer 2

Government-dictated preference for corn-based ethanol and other biofuels is causing massive land overuse, soaring food prices, and increased hunger in the poorest places. A single SUV tank of ethanol-based gasoline burns enough food to feed a starving African for a year.

Answer 3

Alternative fuels come in many forms. For example solar energy can generate both heat and electrical energy. Gasoline and diesel can be made from crude oil, plant oil or coal.

All of the alternative fuels, as well as, more traditional fuels require energy to produce them. Traditional refineries for gasoline and diesel require large amounts of energy to transform the raw crude oil into various products. Even solar PV panels require energy to extract and process the silicon for the panels.

Another good example is ethanol from corn. When you take into account the amount of water and other resources it takes to raise the corn, the net effect may be negative. While ethanol from corn produces a large amount of energy, it uses a lot of resources per acre to grow the corn. Using corn for an energy feedstock takes it out of the food chain. Studies I have read note that ethanol or biodiesel are marginal from an energy balance standpoint. That is, they take almost as much energy to produce as they give back.

I am not arguing against ethanol or biodiesel. They are probably very useful preliminary alternative fuels to get us away from using as much oil as we do. Still there needs to be much more research, study, testing, and investment dollars to use our resources efficiently and wisely.

In general, any alternative fuel that uses less energy in production than it gives back is a good form of fuel. For example, most solar PV panels give more electrical energy back to the grid over their lifetime than the amount of energy used to produce them at the factory. This constitutes using our resources wisely which is the essence of the current energy crisis.

Sincerely

H. Court Young

Author,  publisher & geologist

Promoting awareness through the written word

http://www.hcourtyoung.com

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PS: Thankyou for your question. I hope I have given you some insight.

Answer 4

Don't know much about the subject, but bio-diesel's the best, but incredibly impractical. Ethenol's good, too, but only less than ten percent of it can be used in your gas tank. It's still better than nothing though.

And no, dude, you may not hug me.

Answer 5

not a fuel - i guess you could say - but electric is most practible right now

Answer 6

Hydrogen is it Baby!!!! If NASA can use it for fuel why cant we?? It is the fuel of the Universe.

W2G

http://www.water2gas.com

Answer 7

Natural gas!!! Also known as methane. I have 2 cars that run on it now, and they are super cheap to fill up (like $8.00 total) AND they are much cleaner for the environment. What could be better? I love 'em! They were made by Ford in 1999 and 2000, and I have heard a rumor that they are going to start making them again (they quit in 2004). Let's hope so. Also, there's lots of natural gas in the USA, so you aren't buying from terrorists...