Alternative Fuels

When we pull up to the pump we fill our tanks with gasoline made from petroleum - a mixture of gaseous, solid and liquid hydrocarbons that occur naturally in the Earth. This type of fuel, proven to be toxic to humans, animals and the Earth, has been widely accepted as the standard source for fueling our vehicles. However, many alternatives exist that not only preserve the environment but save us some serious ca$h!

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Vehicles powered by Hydrogen Fuel Cells produce no emissions and the the only by-products are water and heat. Unlike a battery which you need to manually recharge or completely replace when it dies, fuel cells can be constantly recharged by adding hydrogen from a storage tank within the car and oxygen from the atmosphere. As long as the chemicals flow in, the energy will flow out of the fuel cell to power your car. The way it works is pretty simple. A catalyst splits a hydrogen molecule into two H protons (positive) and two electrons (negative).

“Oxygen on the cathode (positively charged) side of the fuel cell draws H+ ions from the anode side through a proton exchange membrane, but blocks the flow of electrons. The electrons (which have a negative charge) are attracted to the protons (which have a positive charge) on the other side of the membrane, but they have to move through the electrical circuit to get there. The moving electrons make up the electrical current that powers the various loads in the circuit, such as motors and the computer system. On the cathode side of the cell, the hydrogen, oxygen and free electrons combine to form water (H2O), the system’s only emission product.”

Source: How Stuff Works: Fuel Cells

Vegetable Oil

Used vegetable oil is a fantastic alternative to gasoline because it is cheap (sometimes free!), and you can easily convert your diesel engine to use it for just a few hundred $USD. Another advantage is that you can always return your vehicle to it’s original state if you decide to sell it - and all parts from your conversion will still be completely functional to use on your next vehicle.

Biodiesel

Diesel combustion engines have a 50% fuel burn efficiency as opposed to the 23% in gasoline engines. Regular diesel fuel is made from one of the heaviest portions of crude oil. Biodiesel on the other hand, is made from vegetable oils. Diesel engines have a bad reputation because, quite frankly the emissions from vehicles that run on diesel made from crude oil smell terrible and make it hard to breathe for people with respiratory problems. That problem is non-existent with biodiesel. The truth is, diesel engines are built like tanks and are sturdier and more efficient than gasoline engines. Using biodiesel in a diesel combustion engine just adds icing to the cake - you get clean energy as well as efficient energy!