McPherson High School
McPherson, Kansas
Teacher: Robin Long
Save The Source
By: Rhea Curran
12th Grade
Eventually the world will run out of the fuels that are being used today. An alternative fuel must be either created or must be used more often to preserve today’s sources of fuels. Whether it is a combination of gasoline or diesel mixed with an alternative fuel, a conversion to an alternative fuel must happen.
Electricity is the most readily available form of energy in the United States. Transmission lines and power plants reach everywhere a pipeline cannot. The two kinds of electric vehicles are battery and hybrid powered. Some electric vehicles have a small power plant on-board, others have electricity generated outside the car and then is stored in the battery of the car.
Regular 110-volt wall sockets and 220-volt appliance outlets are usually used to convert regular cars to electric cars. Cars that are electrically fueled by manufacturers have a specialized connector to speed up the refueling process. Gas stations would hardly have any use. Many public stations have installed the most popular connectors and recharging at public stations today is free.
One of the greatest advantages of electricity is that it is the cleanest form of transportation, has low pollution, and the electric motors are very efficient. The simplicity of an electric motor naturally involves low maintenance. This motor’s only moving part is the rotor.
Every good situation has at least one negative and this good situation’s negative is its high price. Another bad aspect is the low production rate. Instead of hundreds of thousands of these electric vehicles being made, there are only hundreds being produced. If a long-range trip is planned, the vehicle must stop and be recharged often.
The electric motors only have a range of 60 to 120 miles per hour before needing to be recharged. Since recharging the motor is necessary, it is good to recharge over night, or when driving is not needed. People do not normally drive over 60 miles in town a day so charging overnight every night is a perfect amount for the average daily driving needs. Batteries, such as nickel metal hydride and lithium-ion packs are being developed to extend the range of driving. Quick chargers have also been tested.
A second alternative fuel could be vegetable oils. Two types of vegetable oils are W.V.O., which is waste vegetable oil, like the oil that restaurants use for frying food, and S.V.O., which is straight vegetable oil also known as the oil in bio-diesel. Vegetable oils [have been] experimented with since the 1900’s.
S.V.O. can be used in almost all diesel engines but it must be pre-heated; it could cause misfire and could then result in carbonization. The process of running a vehicle on vegetable oil starts by the vehicle running and starting on diesel fuel then switching to vegetable oil once the oil is heated. Before the engine is shut-off it will switch back to diesel to make sure there is no oil in the lines in case it has to start cold the next time the engine is started. The oil will possibly become solid if left in the fuel lines.
This fuel can also be used in homes and save homeowners and consumers money because [wasted cooking] oil can be [donated or purchased inexpensively].... [Vegetable] oil is accessible but is not as easy to produce in large quantity. The United States has produced 11 billion liters every year since 2000. That seems like a large amount, but if that was the only means of fuel, it would not last long. Another downfall is that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines do not [sanction] automobile engines that burn vegetable oil.
All of these fuels mentioned are part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was passed by the United States Congress on July 29th, 2005. The Energy Policy Act provides a tax credit of $3,400 for hybrid owners and increase the amount of bio-fuel that must be mixed with gasoline sold in the United States to triple current requirements.
Finally, the last alternative fuel in mind is propane gas. Propane is a non-toxic, odorless gas that has an odor added to make it identifiable. The best part about propane is that it is a bi-product from natural gas processing and petroleum refining. Transportation and importing of propane can be done by land and by sea. Imported products such as propane can serve many different markets. One of the markets is production of petrochemicals. A major problem with imported products is that the consumer that lives the farthest away from the major sources pays the most because of transportation costs.
In a 2001 Energy Consumption survey, it was shown only three-percent of propane used in the U.S. was used for transportation. The largest amount used in 2001 was commercial and residential [at] 43 percent. The second largest percentage of use was 40 percent [for] petrochemicals, which proves that the country is not using propane for transportation as much as [it] should.
As a recommendation, America and all other countries should use electricity as fuel to preserve our fuel source of today. It is the cleanest, cheapest fuel and it can be regenerated at any minute day or night. Gasoline cannot be reused once it is in the atmosphere. [I predict that] by 2020 A.D. all vehicles will be converted to electricity.
URL:
http://www.alternativefuelsracing.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/alternative_fuels
http://www.eia.doe.gov
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/vegatable_oil_used_as_fuel
http://www.singerfoundation.org
Answers To Questions Prompted By The Required Reading
Q1- Fill in the blanks.
A- Gassahol is a byproduct exclusively from corn and sugar cane whereas cellulosic ethanol can be produced from agricultural waste such as prairie switchgrass, wood chips and corn husks.
Q2- Why did auto makers produce cars that could operate using ethanol as well as gasoline before there was an adequate number of service stations that could provide ethanol?
A- Ethanol reduces carbon emissions by more than 80% while getting rid of the release of acid rain in which causes sulfur dioxide. Ethanol is also cheaper.
Q3- When were the first cars produced that were capable of using ethanol?
A- 1979
Q4- In a paragraph, describe Brazil’s experience with ethanol. What did the Fortune article claim was Brazil’s key to success?
A- Brazil has the most perfect area for growing sugar cane and sugar cane is the most energy-rich ethanol ingredient that science knows. The crop benefits grow by 2.6% every year causing greater amounts of ethanol. The leftovers are used to burn for energy and produce electricity. The advantage to burning this for electricity is that farms can mill up to a maximum of 25 miles out of town.
Q5- What is the significance of a yellow gas cap?
A- E85-ready cars
Q6- Describe bio-diesel.
Q7- Explain the term “flex-fuel engine”. What American auto manufacturer introduced the first prototype of a flex-fuel engine?
Q7- It is an engine that switches back and forth from ethanol to gasoline. This was first introduced by VW.
Q8- Trace the progress of H.R. 6 for viewers to our web site. (dates introduced, amended, pass or rejected) http://www.eei.org/industry_issues/electricity_policy/federal_legislation/index.htm
A- This process passed in 2005 to enhance protection for electricity consumers, and encourages energy efficiency and conservation.
Q9- What is the purpose of the fuel hybrid vehicle commercialization initiative?
A- Less fuel emissions
Q10- What is the nation's largest renewable energy resource?
A- Electricity
Q11- What is the purpose of the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative?
A- Less waste and no emissions from the car
Q12- List seven items mentioned in the 2005 energy tax bill that taxpayers can claim as credits against their tax bills.
A-
-Installation
-Contractors that build the new energy efficient homes
-Manufacturers that produce highly energy-efficient dishwashers, clothes washers, and refrigerators.
-Purchasers of solar, photovoltaic and fuel cell properties for use in residences
-Purchasers of energy efficient products for new energy efficient homes
-existing business solar investments
-Purchases of water heaters, hear pumps, air conditioners, furnaces, and other equipment that achieve certain efficiency levels