Alternative Fuel Vehicles example essay topic

Alternative Energy Sources Alternative Alternative Energy Sources Essay, Research Paper Alternative Energy Sources In the not-too-distant future – with regard to history's timeline – there will come a point when fossil fuels will have been depleted and humans will be forced to find alternative sources with which to power automobiles, household heating units and myriad other machinery that utilizes fuel. However, waiting until supplies are exhausted before establishing a workable alternative would place a major hardship upon future energy demands. For this reason, various options – not only those that supply a form of fuel but also those that reduce and often eliminate pollution – have been in the works for several years. It is imperative that these alternatives be implemented long before the current supply is depleted. Without question, the world's energy demand has increased due directly to the fact that the population continues to rise. What this translates to in correlating statistics is that energy demands throughout the past half century have tripled, the global economy has quintupled and the world population increased twofold (Anonymous emtxt 4. html).

Richard Cromwell, general manager of Sun Line Transit Agency in Southern California's Coachella Valley, is a firsthand proponent of alternative fueling. Having to smell the awful odor emitted day after day from his fleet of forty-seven buses, Cromwell (Silverstein 10) encourages the changeover. Phil Bosley, Mayor of Indian Wells, a subsection of Coachella Valley, agrees wholeheartedly by saying petroleum-base fuels will go the way of the buggy whips back in the 1930's (Silverstein 10). Fortunately, for those who run such fleets, a mandate issued by the Energy Department required operators to "begin purchasing alternative fuel vehicles' (Silverstein 10) as of September 1, 1996. In an effort to help offset the exorbitant cost of such an undertaking, the federal government has given tax credits to companies of medium- to heavy-duty fleets that either convert their current vehicles or purchase new ones. As well, smaller, light-duty fleets, such as those used by police departments, will begin switching over to alternative fuels by the year 2001.

Such fleets will be required to use natural gas, propane, ethanol, methanol or electricity. I. ELECTRIC POWER With the United States alone emitting three-hundred fifty million tons of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide annually into the atmosphere, there is a great need to develop a safer, more environmentally-friendly source by which to fuel the world's vehicles. Powering cars, trucks and other motor vehicles with electricity might just be that perfect alternative for a planet looking to produce "zero vehicle emissions' (Anonymous cl. air. new. alternative. html). Still, even with the obvious advantages of electric-powered vehicles, there are still significant drawbacks to this particular alternative fuel. For one, the batteries on which the vehicles will run are "large, heavy and short-lived' (Anonymous #2 PG), taking up to eight hours to fully recharge – which will likely occur at night to avoid the need for more power plants. Moreover, the bulky batteries will have to be replaced after only about twenty-four months, and pose just as much of an environmental "hazard' (Anonymous #2 PG) as fossil fuels with the way they are manufactured and recycled.

No matter the drawbacks, however, car manufacturers are moving forward with their individual versions of electric-powered vehicles. General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Nissan are just three car makers who have already produced or will be introducing such an automobile in the very near future. Nissan's current project is creating a vehicle that will be able to fully recharge itself in just fifteen minutes. II. HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS Perhaps the most overlooked yet practical fuel alternative would be the implementation of the hydrogen fuel cell. Experts agree that it could quite possibly be the "most promising replacement for the internal combustion engine in the early part of the 21st century' (Nauss D-1).

However, as technologically advanced as the hydrogen fuel cell idea is, there still exist some rather large hurdles to overcome before society will be driving around in vehicles powered by it. One of the main problems is figuring out where to store the hydrogen within the car; unlike the smallish tank used for gasoline, hydrogen would require significantly more room. Additionally, there is the concern of creating a networking "infrastructure' (Nauss D-1) to enable consumers to obtain the alternative fuel, much like what is already in place with existing gas companies. Estimates put a one-hundred fifty billion dollar price tag on such a development. In an effort to implement its use in the near future, Chrysler has taken major strides to avert further problems with the hydrogen fuel cell.

They claim, in fact, that their solutions will put "significant numbers' (Nauss D-1) of affordable fuel cell vehicles on the market as early as the year 2007. What Chrysler has developed is a method to alter the makeup of ordinary gasoline into that of hydrogen while it runs through the vehicle. Combined with oxygen, the hydrogen is then passed through the fuel cell to ultimately create the necessary electricity to set the vehicle in motion, which will boast a fifty percent better fuel efficiency rate and ninety percent lower emissions. Christopher Bor roni-Bird, advanced specialist for Chrysler, and Frank O'Donnell, deputy director of Fuel Cells 2000, are especially excited about such progress: "With this technology, we think fuel cell vehicles can be here within 10 to 15 years.

This is a big step forward in transforming the kinds of cars we drive in the next century' (Nauss D-1). Planning for the future of fuel resources requires a close look at the various alternative energy sources to determine the best overall option. The primary deciding factors as to which type or types will prove best include long term availability, cost effectiveness, environmental and personal health risks, as well as how they are utilized in terms of specific application. As it stands right now, however, none of the alternative sources match the "performance, cost and convenience' (Anonymous cl. air. new. alternative. html) of gasoline-powered vehicles. Over the next thirty to forty years, the usage trend will continue to be petroleum as the dominant energy source, followed by coal, gas, renewable energy sources, and nuclear power (Anonymous emtxt 4. html).

Despite this fact, alternative fuel sources will continue to be a significant issue with regard to future energy demands.

Bibliography

Anonymous #1. "Alternative Fuels. ,' Earth Explorer, (1995): May, pp.
PG. Anonymous. web / Anonymous #2. "Turbine cars: major contender, bumpy road. ,' Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alumni Association, (1995): pp.
PG. Anonymous. "Energy and materials. ,' World Resources, (1997): web / Nauss, Donald W.
H 2 Go; In 10 years, your new car could be running on hydrogen. ,' Los Angeles Times, (1997): January, pp.
D-1. Silverstein, Kenneth. "Alternate Fuels Mandate Looms. ,' American City & County, vol. 111, (1996): August, pp.