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MDI Air Car: The Future is Here

2008-06-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

All across the world jaws are dropping as gas prices are raising new heights. The price of gas has sky rocketed to extremes and nowadays it feels like it costs us more money to go to the gas station to get gas then it does to walk to the pump with a gas can. Hybrid cars are the new craze but even they have to fill up some time or another. Although 50 miles to the gallon is nice, wouldn't it be great to never worry about the price of gas? What would happen if the world no longer needed fuel? Well, wait no longer, because the future is here right now, thanks to a company called MDI (Motor Development International)

MDI has created a car that runs strictly on air. Even though it sounds amazing, this is still nothing new under the sun. The technology for compressed air sounds like a brand new concept, but the truth of the matter is this technology has been used and created since 1896 by a man names Rudolf Diesel. In fact, compressed air technology powers almost every internal combustion system known to man.

In 1994, CAT (Compressed Air Technology) changed forever. Up until that time, to get better fuel efficiency engineers used turbo chargers and various types of equipment to force air and gas into the engine. Until this year when Guy Negre, a former Formula 1 race car designer, developed a way to make a car run solely on air that can be used to refill using any air compressor anywhere in minutes. In addition, if you find yourself without a compressor around, you can just plug into the wall and the built in compressor will refill your car in about 4 hours. In its current condition the car will run for about one hundred twenty four miles and its speed is maxed at sixty eight miles per hour (one hundred nine point four hundred thirty five kilometers)

MDI has not released very much information on their air car as of yet, but what we do know is that the engine uses nothing but air with a pneumatic combustion system that is too complex for words. This car features an electronic computer controlled transmission that constantly monitors the speed of the car and helps to keep the right amount of compression. There is an alternator to this car between the gearbox and the engine. This alternator helps to run different components of the car such as breaks, tank refills, and it helps with starting the vehicle. This car also features air tanks designed to take abuse so there is no need to worry about blowing up if something happens to them, which is hard to believe, seeing as how they contain four thousand psi (pound per square inch). These tanks are made of carbon fiber, so they will not just explode if damage occurs. Carbon fiber is made up of tiny fibers that have been reinforced with carbon bonded crystals too small for the human eye to see. These fibers are not as dense as steel, but combines a special resin which will become, in some cases, just as strong but not as heavy. The body of the air car formed out of injected foam and fiber will reduce weight and prevent rust. If damage occurs the fiber is easy to repair, and most importantly, carbon fiber is inexpensive to produce.

After researching and developing for fourteen years, they are about to begin production soon in India. MDI has collaborated with Tata Motors, India's number one car manufacturer. This car called the MiniCAT will be a huge success once launched, especially with these two engineering giants teamed together. There is no doubt that the Air Car will be a phenomenon that will change everything about the way we travel, and will leave the entire world wondering where they can get one. The MiniCAT will be sold approximately for the very low price of thirty eight hundred dollars (two thousand four hundred seventy EUR)

The air car is due to be on the showroom floors of Europe, Australia, and India near the end of 2008. As for the United States and other countries, the verdict is still out on when they will arrive, however a product such as this is well worth the wait. Chances are though, that this vehicle will be entering this market very soon. The automakers know that there is change needed, and are more than happy to make those changes.

Hydrogen Fuel Stations: Wave of the Future

2008-06-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

You may have heard about hydrogen fuel recently. Hydrogen is the same chemical used as fuel by the sun, and when you burn it, you get lots of energy and very little pollution; burned efficiently, the only by-product is water. Even better, hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and can be processed from the same water that it creates in an endless cycle We have the technology right now to build hydrogen-powered cars. So why don't you see them all over the road?

Because we do not yet have the infrastructure. In order to make hydrogen fuel a viable alternative to fossil fuels, we need to have a strong hydrogen fuel station infrastructure - a network of fueling stations throughout the country. After all, how would you fuel your gas-based car if you didn't have a gas station to stop at?

How Hydrogen Fuel Stations Work

There are two different types of hydrogen fuel stations right now: public stations, located only in a very few areas and concentrated in Southern California, and home stations, built into garages and set up with complex systems to provide appropriate water and energy supplies.

Both types of hydrogen fuel stations create hydrogen on the spot using some form of electricity, from standard power hookups to solar power cells. The cheapest hydrogen fueling stations are based around solar power cells. Water is purified, usually through reverse osmosis, and put through electrolysis with power provided by the solar power cells. The process of electrolysis divides water into its component atoms hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogen is stored in a separate tank. Oxygen may be stored, or it may be released as a non-polluting by-product.

The result: if you have a home station, you fuel your car for free (provided you've used solar energy), and if you don't, you fuel it up at the public station using an air-hose style pump and pay whatever the charge is

Where Are Hydrogen Fuel Stations Located?

With the exception of Southern California, you won't find many hydrogen fuel stations yet. There are a handful in Europe, where they are used to power hydrogen buses. Iceland is the first country to implement a nationwide process of replacing traditional fuel stations with hydrogen stations. Japan, always fast to embrace new technology, is following suit, and you'll find scattered fuel stations in a few other places: New York City, Washington DC, and British Columbia (in advance of the 2010 Winter Games).

The problem right now isn't a lack of technology. Instead, it's three other very practical considerations:

* The cost of building a hydrogen fuel station is prohibitive, though it will certainly drop in the future, and currently only projects subsidized by a government are viable.

* There isn't a huge demand for hydrogen fuel stations yet, partly because there aren't enough stations to support a large number of hydrogen cars yet.

* All hydrogen stations must be built in population-dense areas right now, so the range of hydrogen cars is limited, which limits their use enough to discourage widespread adoption.,

A combination of consumer demand and government subsidy is certain to edge hydrogen fuel stations to the point where they become a viable and vital part of our transportation networks.

It is certain that when we do have adequate infrastructure to support hydrogen-based vehicles, energy prices will drop sharply and output of carbon-based pollution will follow suit. Not only is the technology clean and reliable, it's probably going to be a new starting point for a burst of human development, just as the first steam engine, the first car, and the first airplane were.

So when will this be? Current estimates put widespread adoption of hydrogen cars at about five years. The process may be accelerated by government support of fuel station building, but it's more likely that the process will be a little slower, with the dense metropolitan areas adopting long before more remote areas and private fleets adopting the technology before anyone else.

University of Waterloo Team Creates Hydrogen Car

2008-05-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

The University of Waterloo in Toronto, Ontario, Canada has recently been in the news for making a hydrogen-powered car. The team consisted of students, they created the car as part of the final year of the Challenge X. Challenge X is a competition that lasts for three years that challenged seventeen teams to re-engineer a GMC Equinox, the most recent challenge ended in 2007.

The team at the University of Waterloo is known as the Alternative fuels team. The group of students showcased their re-engineered car at Direct Energy Center at Exhibition Place in Toronto. The team was the first to create this alternative fuel car and it is all due to their cutting edge technology. The car basically runs on water and emits no fumes; in fact the end result is water. This makes the car very environmentally friendly, and by using water to power it's engine high gas prices my soon be a thing of the past.

The University of Waterloo is the only University that was chosen outside of the United States. During the designing process the team won eight out of ten of the award categories which in the end put them in first place. Since the teams win they have been trying to interrogate this engine into a Chevrolet Equinox. The Dean of Engineering states that the school and even the entire country is very proud to have the engineering team that they do. His exact words were "This exciting project developed by our students will help keep Canada at the forefront of the automotive industry" and "We are proud of these students' remarkable accomplishments and wish the team well at the Challenge X competition."

There are a few major sponsors of the team at the University of Waterloo. The sponsors are General Motors, Natural Resources of Canada, the Government of Ontario, Marathon Technical Services, Hydrogenics, Air Liquide and The U.S. Department of Energy. The team will soon be traveling to a few cities around the United States to show case their car with the rest of the competitors in the Challenge X competition. This is a two-week event that will mark then end of the competition. The teams will compete in many events and are required to give oral presentations about their projects.

Because of the Challenge X competition the next generation of engineers will be able to have superior knowledge for the automotive technologies of the twenty-first century. It will also ensure that the United States and Canada will be able to stay in the competition that is going on around the world. The competition will also highlight the essentialness of using and driving vehicles that are not as harmful to the environment as a traditional vehicle. Not to mention they are helping to find a solution to one of the world's major problem, its dependency on oil for just about everything.

Many people do not realize it but humans are the cause of all the global warming warnings and the depletion of the Ozone layer. If they do realize it they just do not seem to care. If everyone would go out and buy or lease a hybrid and get rid of all the traditional vehicles, we may be able to push the destruction of the world back a couple decades if not more. Once the hydrogen run vehicles hit the market, the environment may just be able to repair itself and stop the fear of global warming all together. Just being a little more environmentally conscious could give us all a little more time with this wonderful planet.

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Bioethanol: How Bioethanol Fits Into The New Environmentally Friendly Industry

2008-04-22T15:42:00.000-07:00

Bioethanol is a fully sustainable energy source that has been extracted from renewable raw materials like starch plants including corn, wheat and cassava, sugar plants including beets and can and some cellulose plants which come from trees. Bioethanol is well burning fuel that does not contain nay harmful particles, is much better than its gasoline counterpart and reduces overall air pollution which is good for the environment.

Bioethanol is being produced through the hydrolysis and sugar fermentation processes. It requires diluted enzymes and sulphuric acids which help to break down the cellulose and hemicelluloses in order to produce sucrose sugar which is in turn fermented into ethanol.

Closely connected to biodiesel, bioethanol is a liquid biofuel and can be added to standard unleaded gasoline at levels of up to 5% and can be used in cars currently on the road. By replacing bioethanol for fossil fuels, emissions from fossil fuels are avoided and Co2 levels are reduced because the biomasses that serve as raw material for bioethanol production require Co2 for growth.

Bioethanol is renewable from plants likes cereals, sugar beets and the like or biomass. Cellulosic ethanol is made from stalks and husks as well as other plant cellulose materials, but it still needs to go through the fermentation process and uses cast-off waste products from food that's in the process of growth. Cellulosic ethanol is made from the non-food portion of many agricultural wastes like corn stover which is the stalks and residue left post-harvest.

It hasn't been until very recently that the problem of complex mixtures of sugars in bioethanol fuels that made up these leftover materials could be converted in an efficient manner by bakers yeast. However, Delft University Technology recently came up with a method that solved this problem. It was accomplished by genetically modifying the bakers yeast.

Brazil makes most of its bioethanol from local crops of sugar cane which has been a great material for ethanol fuel production. Half of all cars in Brazil are running on ethanol.

Another process still under development shows great promise. It involves the gasification of biomass combined with catalytic process that leads to the production of bioethanol. It has been making gains and garnering more attention in the United States.

While the gasification to produce bioethanol needs more research, the main reason for its continued popularity is that, it can be easily blended with gasoline in a mixture of 5% bioethanol and 95% gasoline which is suitable for use in cars already on the road today. This can work in cars without modification only with an additive package.

E95 has been designed specifically to be utilized in certain diesel-engine buses which can be easily converted to run on the bioethanol mixture.

Fuel companies will be legally obligated in 2010 to mix five percent bioethanol with 95% gasoline and 5% biodiesel with 95% conventional diesel. While mixes at these levels will cause no damage to existing fuel systems and can run without any adjustments, it will become the standard ingredient in fuel.

Bioethanol production is currently estimated at around 30 million tons per year. Biodiesel fuel is only estimated at 2.5 million tons per year. This is going to increase significantly over the next few years. While the crop chosen depends largely upon prevailing soil and climactic conditions, bioethanol can be produced from nearly any type of crop produced.

As governments strive to be less reliant on foreign oils, sustainable fuels like bioethanol become ever more important for industrialized nations. As in all things, energy security will need to increase in many countries as petroleum exports decrease and pure bioethanol production swings into full gear.

Research and testing has been widespread as mixtures of methanol, water, acidity, phosphorus and sulphur contents to include are tweaked and filtered. These are just some of the impurities that can commonly be found in bioethanol, and maximum limits of these need to be imposed to avoid numerous problems in the automobile using it. Europe already has a standard EN DIN 228 which permits blending of up to 5% with gasoline. This fuel mixture of E5 has been proven to be used in standard engines with no problems.

Current companies involved in bioethanol production and distribution are making strides at creating an infrastructure which can implement the intentions and policies concerning biofuel. In the meantime, all us must remain vigilant about the positive impact of bioethanol and other biofuel, and keep an eye on how it's expanding. In theory,

Bioethanol is considered to be 100% carbon neutral. this means that every bit of carbon that is burned while using it as fuel can eventually be recycled back into the next crop of vegetables as they grow. While this is great in theory, it has quite been clarified as to how this can be implemented in practice. There are additional carbon costs such as how to power agricultural vehicles, fertilizer production and fuel transportation.

All in all, with very biofuel being developed and implemented, there is a learning curve involved. All implementation of biofuel will, however, add to negatively impacting the environment.

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Ethanol-gasoline's smart younger brother

2008-04-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

With an ever increasing demand for useable energy, almost every compound imaginable has been studied for use to replace petroleum products. As oil wars are waged the world over and greenhouse gases threaten to destroy the ozone layer once and for all; it has become high time that we diverted our attention toward sustainable, renewable, and safe sources of useable energy. No substance may have more potential towards fulfilling our need for a renewable yet clean source of energy than ethanol.

What exactly is ethanol? If you have never heard of the term, you probably have still seen it inadvertently on a store shelf or in a cooler. Why? Because ethanol is the scientific name for common alcohol. That is right, the alcohol that makes up the alcohol portion of all alcoholic drinks is ethanol. Ethanol is also known as drinking alcohol or grain alcohol. It is referred to as grain alcohol because grain is typically what is used to make ethanol. Grain isn’t the only thing that can be used to make ethanol, and this is why it has such a tremendous potential.

Ethanol is the byproduct of the breakdown of sugars by micro organisms. Sugars can be found in every type of starch from grains, potatoes, or even cellulose. It is the latter that really makes scientists hope that ethanol could revolutionize the energy industry as we know it. Essentially, ethanol is a useable form of energy derived from the energetic bonds that are found in starch and sugar. Since ethanol comes from plant sources, when it is burned it has a neutral carbon dioxide balance.

Carbon dioxide balance refers to the net carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by burning a given fuel. Since the plants that are used to make ethanol sequester carbon dioxide during their development, it is this same carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere when ethanol is burned. This means that no new carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when ethanol is utilized, and this fact means that by using ethanol as opposed to fossil fuels we are saving our ozone layer and environment.

Before the explosive increase in fuel prices, producing ethanol for fuel was too expensive. As time progresses and petroleum becomes scarce and prohibitively expensive, ethanol will continue to become a more attractive alternative fuel. One key development that could absolutely revolutionize ethanol production is bacteria. Scientists are working on developing a method of ethanol production by utilizing strains of bacteria that can convert any type of sugar-including cellulose-into ethanol.

If we could transform cellulose into ethanol in a cost effective manner, ethanol would be extremely cheap and eco efficient because we bury tons upon tons of cellulose every year in the form of plant byproducts like pine needles and corn husks. Even straw could be used to manufacture ethanol if the scientists succeed in making a cost effective method for converting cellulose into ethanol.

One of the key attributes of ethanol that make it a viable alternative to fossil fuels is the fact that it can be utilized in gasoline engines. This means that the present fleet of gasoline powered vehicles could be converted to ethanol vehicles with a few simple cheap modifications, and many times with no modifications at all. This means that cars, boats, trains, and airplanes that run on gasoline could run on ethanol. Ethanol could quite possibly replace gasoline permanently if the proper government and grass roots initiative was formed to advocate its use.

Ethanol has the potential to be the gasoline of the future. As our society becomes increasingly dependant on dwindling petroleum supplies, and the masses wake up to the horrible effects pollution is having on our environment there will be a mass movement for change. There is a good possibility that ethanol will embody the struggle for eco-friendly renewable energy.

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Biobutanol-Fuel of potential

2008-04-02T15:39:00.000-07:00

During this age of a world on the verge of energy crisis, rising fuel prices and oil wars, any breakthrough in fuel and energy sources is a welcome breath of fresh air. Alongside biodiesel, biobutanol may be the holy grail in alternative fuel systems. What is biobutanol and why does it have the potential to revolutionize the alternative fuel industry? Read on to find out.

Biobutanol, like ethanol, is an alcohol. The difference between butanol and ethanol is that ethanol has 2 carbons in its backbone while butanol has 4 carbons. Butanol that originates from biomass, or organic matter is referred to as biobutanol as opposed to petrobutanol which originates from petroleum. The reason biobutanol is hailed to have tremendous potential in helping end our world energy crisis is the fact that certain bacteria, particularly strains of clostridium have the unique ability to digest all types of organic matter into a mixture of acetone, butanol, and ethanol. More recently through a patented process developed at Ohio State University butanol has been synthesized in larger amounts more efficiently than previously thought possible through the utilization of a strain of clostridium bacteria known as clostridium tyrobutyricum. The process involved in the production of butanol from biomass is quite similar to that of ethanol, essentially consisting of bacteria or other micro-organisms breaking down a solution of sugar, starch, lignin, or fiber into a mixture of chemicals including butanol. The butanol, being only slightly soluble in water is then separated from the solution either by an adsorbent or through distillation.

So why is butanol particularly useful? Butanol has an energy density closer to gasoline than the other additive which is commonly used today; namely ethanol. Other than its energy density, it mimics gasoline in its burning properties when utilized in a gasoline motor. Along with these exciting attributes is the fact that in more than one test on older vehicles, butanol was safe to use at 100% concentration. The engines of the cars which butanol was tested on were not modified in any way. This means the butanol can theoretically be used as a direct substitute for gasoline, and even in a mix. Butanol also is not very hygroscopic so it does not require the different handling that ethanol requires due to it water loving properties. If this all wasn’t enough, butanol also works at a wider range of temperatures than ethanol, and has excellent cold start properties. This means that a gasoline engine run on butanol on a cold winter morning will not have any problems starting. In addition to this, butanol can be produced cheaper than fossil fuels, reduces vehicular emissions, and does not attack the materials commonly used in internal combustion engines.

Biobutanol may be the most realistic replacement for gasoline the search for alternative fuels has produced as of yet. When biobutanol is produced from organic substance, it has a neutral CO2 balance. This means that the net amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere as a result of the consumption of butanol is zero. This is possible because of the fact that the plants which are used to make butanol themselves absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. This may be the most important consideration in replacing gasoline with butanol because of the detrimental effects this centuries consumption of fossil fuels has had on our environment. Which the phasing out of fossil fuels and the phasing in of biomass based fuels like biodiesel, biobutanol, and ethanol we can take the proper steps toward a healthier, safer future for our offspring. If an effective means to efficiently convert biomass into biobutanol can be developed in the next decade, there should be nothing between the world and the utilization of this promising new fuel.

Biobutanol may not be economically viable as of yet due to the relatively inefficient manufacturing process, but with time and dedicated research this could change. The fact that our present day vehicles can run directly on butanol is enough to make research into this fuel a must. As our understanding of synthesizing biofuels increases, so will our ability to paint a brighter future for ourselves as a race. Biobutanol may be the gasoline of tomorrow.

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Biodiesel-fuel for the 21st Century

2008-03-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

In this new age where fuel is the most precious commodity available, it is time that mankind turned to a more efficient, safer, cleaner, renewable fuel for use in our massively transportation dependent society. The answer to a century of wars over oil and the horrendous aftermath thereof are simply, in one word - biodiesel. Biodiesel has been around for over a century, but only recently has the world awakened to a need for fuels at any cost that will not destroy our already fragile ecosystem, and you will soon know why the whole world should be excited.

Biodiesel was first synthesized back in 1893 before the first diesel engine was even developed. Biodiesel is essentially oil of any type-be it animal fat or vegetable oil that has been reacted with an alcohol in a process called transesterification. The chemical name of the results of this reaction is mono-alkyl ester or biodiesel, and glycerol-common glycerin. Biodiesel can be used as an alternative to petrodiesel in more applications than you may think.

Biodiesel has some very interesting properties. While not as energy dense as common petroleum diesel, it is a much cleaner fuel with lower sulfur, and it burns cleaner leaving the atmosphere less harmed. Biodiesel even cleans engines which have been run on petroleum diesel from the inside, dissolving deposits of gunk and particulates that originated in typical petroleum fuel. Biodiesel's main lure is the fact that in theory we could supply the world’s energy needs from one safe clean alternative fuel that is 100% renewable.

As for applications, biodiesel can be utilized in most locomotives that you are already aware of, with little or no changes to the engine. This means that if you have a vehicle that runs presently on diesel-be it a sport utility vehicle, station wagon, car, or tractor trailer truck-it can run on biodiesel with only one step. That step is filling the tank! This is the primary reason why biodiesel could revolutionize the fuel industry. With biodiesel, there is no need to upgrade our present fleets of trucks, cars, trains, vans, and boats that run on diesel into prohibitively expensive solar powered vehicles; we can simply pull them into a gas station that offers biodiesel and fuel up. It is true that any engine built for diesel can run on biodiesel, the only issue that could come up is with engines that were built before 1992. Many of these engines have rubber parts that would slowly be dissolved by biodiesel. But the modifications required can be done in a few minutes by any mechanic. Also, other than transportation most diesel generators as well as heaters can be run on biodiesel without modifications. This means that we can generate electricity using this exciting new renewable fuel. There was even a test flight in early 2008 of a jumbo jet run only on biodiesel. The potential of biodiesel to revolutionize our energy industry is enormous, not to mention the economic opportunities for farming nations that depend on the agricultural industry to survive. Many of these nations have begun to plant many acres of oil rich crops that are then sold to make biodiesel all over the world. The real opportunity for biodiesel to save our energy dependent society lies in algae. Algae has proven to be capable of a higher yield per acre of biodiesel convertible oil than any other plant. With time and effective engineering of an efficient algae farming method, we will be able to utilize the solar energy more efficiently than ever, and we will easily be able to answer the worlds energy needs with biodiesel.

You know a bit more than you did about biodiesel. Biodiesel may not be the holy grail of energy sources, but it comes pretty close in these times of oil wars and a rapidly depleted ozone layer. Perhaps you should look into biodiesel as your personal alternative fuel today. The more informed we are as a society, the brighter the future may be for our children. Biodiesel is not the fuel of tomorrow, I dare to say it is the fuel of today. Cleaner, renewable, convenient, and available; biodiesel may be a turning point in the world's energy resources.

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Exploring the Ins and Outs of Gasoline

2008-03-19T16:02:00.000-07:00

As the prices of gas continues to rise in the 21st century, motorists are yearning for the days when the substance that powered their cars cost less than $1 or even closer to $2. The demand for this influential resource has been outweighing the supply long before war broke out in the Middle East. The constant consumption of regular, leaded, unleaded, and now diesel fuel has placed a huge strain on reserves, which has caused prices to reach new heights.

The elevated cost of gasoline has greatly impacted the United States, as well as the rest of the world. The current energy crisis has forced scientists to seek out innovative ways of supplying energy and has encouraged consumers to find other methods of preserving fuel, such as riding a bicycle to work or purchasing electric cars.

In the future, the use of gas alternatives may gain more attention, especially since the following methods are less damaging to the environment: biodiesel, biobutanol, hydrogen fuel, ethanol, and bioethanol.

Taking a Brief Look at Gas Prices

In September 2003, the price of standard crude oil was less than $25 per barrel and with the help of inflation adjustments - it remained below the mark since the middle of the 1980s. However, a chain of events over the past couple of years has caused the price to increase to more than $60 in August 2005 and exceed the $75-mark by the summer of 2006. In October 2007, a barrel of crude oil was $92. The start of 2008 only heightened the continued rise in prices, establishing several record highs, including an inflation-adjusted all-time peak of $103.05 per barrel in February 2008.

Different Kinds of Gasoline

A mixture of liquid hydrocarbons and crude oil undergo a distillation process in order to generate gasoline. Gas was invented during the late 1850s after crude oil was discovered and researchers were able to fine ways on how to use this material. Early types of gasoline were created as a byproduct of the process that made kerosene fuel for oil lamps. Since the internal combustion engine had yet to become a reality - the majority of early gasoline was tossed away because no one had a use for the substance.

Today, the United States offers a wide-range of gasoline types. Finished motor gasoline consists of a complicated mixture of volatile hydrocarbons and other additives that help power spark-ignition engines. Reformulated gas mostly uses methyl tertiary-butyle ether as an oxygenate with three different kinds. For example, the exclusive oxygenated reformulated gasoline is typical only during the wintertime throughout the New York City region where heavy carbon monoxide pollution is found.

Gasohol is often a combination of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline mixture. Ethanol is a liquid that actually comes from the fermentation of some sugars located in agricultural crops or wood. However, the most widely available type is conventional gasoline, which has been designed to evaporate at a slower pace in hot temperatures, which creates less smog.

Overall, each type of gas (whether conventional, oxygenated, or reformulated) is available within three different grades: regular, midgrade, and premium. As a rule of thumb, premium gas offers an octane rating greater than 90, which contributes to its higher price per gallon.

The Lowdown on Gas Stations

With exorbitant prices, gas stations not only struggle to make a profit but to also find ways on how to entice consumers into purchasing their gas. Depending on the location of a gas station and company trend - a range of prices sees states like New Jersey and Missouri offering the lowest costs with California pushing the limits as of March 2008.

A couple of popular gas companies and stations within the United States and Canada include:

Chevron

Founded in 1879 in Pico Canyon, California - Chevron would grow to become the fifth largest global energy company - playing a major role in the oil and gas industry. Making great strides in exploration and production, Chevron is also responsible for Texaco found in Europe, United States and Latin America.

ExxonMobil

With a merger in 1999 that saw the combined power of three major companies - ExxonMobil is considered the world's largest company by revenue. The company also supports Exxon in the United States; Esse/Imperial Oil in Canada; and Mobil in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

Husky

Founded in 1938 as Husky Refining, the company focuses on petroleum and gas. Employing close to 4,000 people - Husky is known as one of Canada's biggest energy companies - which supplies Husky and Mohawk-brand gas.

Petro Canada

Established in 1975 in Ottawa, Ontario, Petro Canada is known as the second-largest company associated with various gas operations. Petro gas stations also offers a loyalty program called Petro Points, where consumers receive credits for fuel, car repair and store purchases.

Conoco Phillips

A merger in 2002 saw Conoco and Phillips join forces to become one of the six "supermajor" oil companies in the world. The company is responsible for heading Conoco in the southeastern and central region of the United States, Phillips 66, and other international ventures.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells: Cars Of The Future

2008-03-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

Imagine a world where you don't have to pay $3 to drive twenty or thirty miles, where trucks belching diesel smoke are unheard of, where you can walk down the road without inhaling the fumes of a thousand vehicles, where thousands of cars pass you and you hear nothing but a gentle hum and whoosh, and you have an idea of where hydrogen fuel cells will be taking us.

Fuel cells were invented in 1839 by Sir William Grove, who figured out that you could separate hydrogen and oxygen from water through hydrolysis, and suggested that the procedure could be reversed to create clean energy, with a by-product of water. Back then, it was called the gas voltaic battery; only in 1889 did it get the name fuel cell.

How Hydrogen Fuel Cells Work

Like batteries, fuel cells use chemical processes without combustion to create energy with a clean by-product. Because they do not work with the process of combustion, fuel cells never have partly used components, and therefore do not produce poisonous by-products (combustion engines produce carbon monoxide and a wide variety of other poisons, in contrast.)

They are very different from batteries in that they are not self-contained. Instead of counting on an enclosed chemical process that ends when all the components are used up, fuel cells have a constant inward flow of their fuel, usually but not always hydrogen and oxygen. In the case of automobile fuel cells, this means you need a storage tank for water or a hydrocarbon fuel and a place where hydrogen can be separated (this place, called a reformer, has its own technological development problems), as well as an exhaust system that directs used water out of the car or back to the original storage tank.

There are several types of fuel cells right now, but currently the most favored model is the polymer exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). This cell uses precious metals like platinum to create atom-thin layers of oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen gas, at this time H2, is split into two protons and two electrons at an anode. The electrons are conducted along a path to do useful work - in this case, run your car - before returning to a cathode where they are recombined with their protons and with oxygen, producing water as a by-product. Right now, the typical fuel cell produces less than a single volt of electricity, so several cells must be piled into a stack in order to produce enough energy to do useful work. Currently, the cost of creating each of these volts is prohibitively high, and technology is focused on making fuel cells more cost effective.

The big problem with the fuel cell is separating water into its constituent components to begin with. Elementary physics dictate that you cannot create or destroy energy, and entropy will cause energy to be lost. In addition, you're using up some of the energy from the fuel cell to run the car. So where does the initial energy to split the water molecules come from?

Currently, instead of using water as a base fuel, we have to use other technologies to produce hydrogen, which is then transferred to the car's storage tank. This is costly, and we have no infrastructure for delivering hydrogen the way we can deliver gasoline. It's also dangerous to handle flammable hydrogen in large quantities; remember the Hindenburg?

Freezing and boiling are also problems. Most forms of fuel cells, including the PEMFC, require water to function properly, but if your fuel cell is frozen or heated above 80 degrees Celsius, it may be destroyed.

Who Is Working On Fuel Cells

Researchers all over the world are working on fuel cell technology; it is potentially a very lucrative field. The United States Department of Energy supports many different fuel cell initiatives with block grants, and it also supports work at its own Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. Most car companies that have a reasonably forward-looking research and development arm are also working to create fuel cells for their own vehicles; this includes companies like Daimler AG, Honda, Ford, and General Motors.

Governments are also becoming increasingly sensitive to the need to have alternative fuel cars. Leading politicians like Newt Gingrich, who is rarely considered a leader in green technology, has spoken out for years about the need for government to support alternative fuel initiatives. Look for this to become the norm in the political future.

When Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars Will Be Available

We currently have several fuel cell cars in production as prototypes, including the DaimlerChrysler Necar, which drove cross country in 2002 from San Francisco to Washington DC. The trip was beautifully successful despite the extremes in temperature the car had to endure. At that time, Chrysler predicted no fuel cell cars would be available commercially before about 2010.

However, the Honda FXC Clarity is scheduled to be available in limited quantities in late summer 2008, leasing for about $600 a month (they will not be available for sale at all, only lease). It will not use gasoline at all, but instead fill up at hydrogen stations; these stations will be available primarily in Southern California at first. Honda is working on developing home fueling stations that will allow you to generate your own hydrogen at home using electricity.

Green Cars – A Brighter and Cleaner Future

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More and more cars are on the road every day, and it is estimated that more than a billion cars will be on the roads by the year 2020. With more and more cars hitting the roads each year, many people are beginning to look for greener options for their vehicles; in fact, governments are even beginning to put pressure on car manufacturers to develop cars that are friendlier to the environment. While in the past green cars were something that most people only dreamed about, today there are a variety of options available for those who are looking for a car that is environmentally friendly.

Several Different Technology Choices

Today as more and more people become environmentally conscious, there are a variety of greener alternatives that are beginning to show up in show rooms in the United States and even in Europe. For those looking for a car that runs green, there are now several different technology choices to consider, including alternative fuels, battery cars, and of courses the ever popular hybrids.

- Alternate Fuels - Perhaps the most futuristic technology when it comes to vehicle propulsion is alternative fuels used in fuel cells, which actually happens to be the cleanest form of vehicle transportation. Several car manufacturers are investigating hydrogen powered vehicles as well as cars that are powered by ethanol instead of gasoline. Vehicles with fuel cells have great potential, although it has not been fully explored. In the past infrastructure for these fuels have been a barrier to their product, but Honda has recently opened a station in California that actually is a hydrogen fueling station. Their goal is to show how alternative fuels can perform, offering consumers a new way to look at transportation.

- Battery Cars - Another type of technology that is employed when it comes to green cars is the electric battery. Actually battery cars have a long and extensive history, and they have been researched for some time. However, it has only been recently that they have shown to be viable in the mass vehicle market. As battery technology continues to improve, more cars are being introduced into the market with battery technology. There are many green advantages to battery operated cars, including great energy efficiency and no pollution; however, until recently they have been very limited, both in speed and electric charging.

- Hybrids - When it comes to cars that are friendly to the environment, the most popular and promising technology is the hybrid technology. Hybrids are unique, in that they use electric motors and an internal combustion engine as well. Fuel efficiency is boosted, since the electric motor can take over and help to lower the usage of fuel. Since the electric motor offers support, the gasoline engine is a lot smaller and much more efficient as well. In fact, in parts of travel, the gasoline engine may shut down altogether. The energy from the gas engine also helps to charge the battery, so you don’t have to worry about recharging it, like you have to with electric battery cars, and the emissions are significantly lower than other gas powered vehicles. Probably the two most popular hybrid cars on the market today include the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight.

Greener Cars for 2007 and 2008

Today there are a variety of options available when it comes to green cars. There are far more options than there were a few years ago. So, let’s take a closer look at some of the cars that have the best green performance in 2007 and 2008.

One of the greenest cars out there on the market today is the Toyota Prius. This car has a pair of electric motors along with a four cylinder engine. The Prius has the best fuel economy of any mass market car in the United States. The Honda Insight is fairly close to the Prius as well, and also has a lot to offer. You’ll also find that another great car for the environment is the Smart For Two car. It is a small car that only needs a very small motor – a 3 cyclinder engine, which gets about 33 mpg around town. The Nissan Altima Hybrid is also an excellent car which is friendly to the environment and is tuned to get great fuel economy in the city.

Of course these are just a few of the environmental cars that are now available on the market for purchase. It is easy to see that the technology around greener vehicles is ever expanding, and no doubt in the next few years, you will continue to see great strides made in this area of technology as well.