Transportation Alternatives

In addition to fuel conservation and increasing gas mileage, it is possible to reduce or even eliminate the fuel bill entirely, while at the same time reducing our contribution to pollution worldwide. Whether we make renewable fuels, build, convert and/or purchase alternative fuels and vehicles, so long as our means of transportation is environmentally sustainable, the change will be a welcome one, as it will immediately begin to pay itself off, even if the upfront costs (including payments) are high.

Methane and Propane Powered Vehicles

Both methane and propane can be used for heating, cooling, lighting, cooking and biofuel. They are produced naturally by the anaerobic digestion of plant matter and are considered environmentally neutral or even earth friendly, but methane is a far worse pollutant than carbon dioxide and both propane and methane produce or release CO2 emissions and other forms of pollution similar to gasoline when burned.

Pneumatic Power and Air Cars

Compressed air cars usually take longer to refill than gas powered cars and like hydrogen vehicles, have a limited range due to tank technology. They are also less efficient than electric vehicles and it takes more energy to compress air than it does to charge a battery. However, they are earth friendly, producing zero emissions and are usually affordable due to the lack of requirement for a cooling system, fuel tank, spark plugs, silencers or even a transmission.

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles

Hydrogen can be produced using renewable energy sources and can be burned like gasoline or used in fuel cells to produce earth friendly power for transportation and other energy needs. However, hydrogen takes as much or more energy to produce than it yields, fuel cells are fragile, they have a low service life and are still quite expensive. As of yet, hydrogen fuel is the least efficient, most expensive option for alternative fuels. It takes about 10,000 times the storage space to provide the same amount of power as gasoline, so range is limited. Even compressed hydrogen gas takes about 60 times more storage space than gasoline to provide the same amount of power, and it adds an extra 6,000 pounds of weight, further reducing gas mileage and efficiency.

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