Alternative Fuels:

Ethanol, Biodiesel, Hydrogen...get the low down on alternative fuels. What they are and how they might benefit you.

Ethanol:

What It Is:
Renewable fuel that can be produced from various plant materials. The materials used to produce ethanol are refered to as "biomass". Ethanol, a type of alcohol, contains the same chemical compounds found in alcoholic beverages. Typically mixed with gasoline to form an ethanol-gasoline blend. The percentage of ethanol in the blend is shown in the following format: E20 = 20 percent ethanol, E85 = 85 percent ethanol, etc.

Benefits:
- Reduced import of foreign oil & petroleum demand
- Reduced greenhouse emissions
- Domestically produced
- Economic benefits; creation of new jobs

Biodiesel:

What It Is:
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel produced to run in diesel engines. Biodiesel is produced from renewable resources such as vegetable oils and animal fats. It is a cleaner burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel and has physical properties similar to that of petroleum diesel fuel.

Benefits:
- Domestically produced
- Cleaner burning than petroleum diesel fuel
- Non-toxic & environmentally safe
- Renewable source of energy
- Safe to mix with petroleum diesel, safe to use in all newer diesel engines

Hydrogen:

What It Is:
Hydrogen is the most abundant and simplest element in the universe. Hydrogen on earth is found in the form of a colorless, odorless gas. 2.2 lbs of hydrogen gas contains the same energy content of 1 gallon of gasoline. The interest for using hydrogen gas as an alternative fuel stems from the potential for a highly efficient, hydrogen powered vehicle and clean burning qualities.

Benefits:
- Hydrogen can be produced from domestic resources in a number of manners
- Generated power in fuel cells without exhaust emissions
- Hydrogen powered vehicles emit only one thing; water

Natural Gas:

What It Is:
Natural gas is clean burning, domestically produced alternative fuel. Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons and features a high octane rating and combustion properties that make it an excellent choice for spark-ignited internal combustion engines.

Benefits:
- Most of the United States supply of natural gas is domestically produced
- Clean burning, significantly lower emissions than gasoline
- High octane rating, good combustion properties & energy content
- Ability to produce hydrogen from natural gas

Propane:

What It Is:
Propane is also refered to as LPG, liquid petroleum gas. It is the third most used vehicle fuel, behind gasoline and diesel fuel. Propane is readily available and improves low speed efficiency in most vehicles due to its gaseous state and high enery content.

Benefits:
- high energy content/density
- Propane vehicles benefit from extended driving range
- propane fueling stations are widespread, propane is readily available
- Improved fuel economy
- Improved low speed efficiency