Alternative fuels are obtained from renewed energy sources. For example, as an alternative to oil, fossil fuel derivatives (liquefied petroleum gas or natural gas) are widely used in many countries. Also, hydrogen or electricity obtained both from fossils and from renewable energy sources can be used as fuel for cars. At the same time, the automobile industry that uses these types of fuel is only in its infancy.
Alternative fuel is becoming a priority due to the constantly deteriorating state of the environment, as well as the impossibility of fully satisfying the increasing needs of motorists with world oil production. One example of a fuel that opposes oil and gas products is biofuel. Unlike hydrogen and electricity, its use for transport does not require significant changes in modern infrastructure, engines and equipment. Thanks to this fact, the gradual transfer of the fleet to biofuel is becoming a reality.
Today, researchers have grouped alternative fuels into eight types. All of the following types have the potential to replace gasoline and diesel in the future .
For example, methanol ("wood alcohol") is used in automobiles. Its main advantage is environmentally friendly indicators. Countries such as the United States and China have recently been quite actively implementing programs for the use of methanol as a fuel.
The liquid fuel used as an alternative to the existing one is ethanol, which is made on the basis of alcohol by distillation and fermentation of certain crops (barley, corn and wheat). To improve the quality of environmental indicators and increase the octane number, its mixing with gasoline is allowed.
Gas fuel is now widely used by the population of most countries. So, natural gas is supplied to enterprises, to residential buildings by utilities.
But mixing hydrogen with natural gas , they get alternative fuel for cars equipped with internal combustion engines.
Electricity can only be used by battery powered electric vehicles . Energy is stored in batteries that need to be recharged by connecting the vehicle to a standard type electric source.
Biodiesel is based on animal fats and vegetable oils.
Liquefied petroleum gas, called propane, is obtained by processing crude oil and natural gas. This type of alternative fuel is widely used in human life. For example, for heating and cooking. Today propane is a popular type of fuel for vehicles.
And finally, the last type of alternative fuel is the P-series, which is a combination of ethanol, methyltetrahydrofuran, liquefied natural gas and a co-solvent that is obtained from biomass. Such fuel has a high octane rating and therefore can be used even by cars with multi-fuel engines.
The list of alternative fuels would be incomplete if we did not mention innovations such as the manufacture of a heat source and additional energy from solid waste. Already in many countries, the corresponding factories have been built, the "finished products" of which are entitled to solve two problems simultaneously. Firstly, the prevention of environmental pollution due to ever-increasing volumes of garbage. Secondly, a positive solution to environmental issues.