Alternative Fuel Sources : Our Energy Of The Future

Posted by Bruce Campbell

May 23, 2008

by Bruce Campbell

Alternative fuel sources should be one of the most important focuses that we as responsible human beings strive to develop so that we leave this world a better place than we got it from our ancestors. There is an ardent need for saving the environment that is being polluted by emissions given out by the extensive use of gasoline and/or petrol for energy. This article will focus on the various alternative fuel sources currently available.

The conventional and traditional fuel sources are becoming more and more expensive to extract and their indiscriminate use in the past century has resulted in their depletion of oil stores. Alarm bells have already started ringing that these storehouses of natural fuels will reach critically low levels and precipitate a crisis much earlier than we think.

Fortunately, there are a few new discoveries that can give us hope. If we pursue them and develop new methods, we may have found a worthwhile alternative fuel source or sources before any crisis can occur. The ideal fuel would be readily available, as well as affordable and friendly to the environment.

One popular alternative fuel is bio-diesel. This is a diesel-like product extracted from plant matter, which can be burned in an ordinary diesel engine. Another similar product is called E-85. This partly renewable product is made up of eighty-five percent ethanol and fifteen percent conventional gasoline. However, it cannot be burned by all cars.

While E-85 and bio-diesel are better than pure gasoline, they still cause pollution. Also, if all gasoline consumption were to be replaced by these fuels, we would quickly run out of available plant supplies. Corn prices have already risen, causing some people in poorer countries to be unable to buy food, and land for growing bio-diesel fuel takes away from land for producing food corn.

One alternative fuel source that’s viable for transportation is electricity. It’s the best currently available technology when it comes to conserving our existing sources of fuel. The efficiency of these cars is greater even when it comes to using conventional means of generating electricity. That’s because all power can be generated in a central location, instead of in the car itself. Alternate energy sources like wind, water, and sun may be used supplementally or instead of coal and oil to generate electricity, depending on the location.

Of course, muscle power has always been the ultimate alternate power source. Using your own legs on the pedals of a bike not only reduces pollution and helps you avoid using up fossil fuels, but gets you some exercise, too. There are lots of problems with other alternative fuel sources. For instance, bio-diesel and E-85 aren’t easy to find, and won’t work in all cars. Electric cars have a short range, and aren’t very fast. For a short to medium trip, pedal power beats them all.

About the Author:

Bruce Campbell facilitates an Alternative Fuel Sources website. If the alternative energy info was helpful, GET the powerful info RIGHT NOW. Goto Alternative Energy Sources website.

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