Comparing Fossil Fuels

Oil is certainly the most widely used fossil fuel. Unfortunately it is also one of the worst polluters of our atmosphere by putting massive amounts of CO2 into the air each day. While it remains the cheapest form of fuel, rising costs threaten that distinction in the very near future. We may soon be forced towards more eco-friendly solutions simply due to oil price alone.

As this change in the cheap availability of oil has been foreseen, especially in modern times, many solutions have been studied. While most are still not yet cost effective, the technologies involved in their production and use are evolving daily towards a reasonable future alternative to fossil fuels.

Natural Gas is currently used either compressed or liquefied to fuel certain vehicles. Passenger vehicles have been manufactured to run on the compressed natural gas alone or through a bi-fueling system allowing gasoline to be used as well. While still being a fossil fuel, natural gas powered engines pollute less than gasoline engines do. Until recently another fossil fuel has been on the roads. Propane fueled vehicles were developed in the early 1900s and also emit fewer air pollutants than gasoline engines.

Biodiesel was actually one of the first fuels for cars but over a hundred years later it has now become the fastest growing alternative to fossil fuels. Many times no, or relatively few, modifications are needed to a conventional diesel engine to run off biodiesel. While being a very renewable source of fuel it unfortunately does not free us from many of the same air pollutants that plague gasoline use.

Bioethanol is produced from corn. Like biodiesel it has been around since the beginning of the automobile but has only recently become the most popular alternative to fossil fuel. It is very renewable and emits far less air pollutants than gasoline engines. However, it is still not very widely available. Currently there are serious issues with price and the cost of plowing additional fields for increased demand. Another negative aspect is that as demand for Bioethanol increases so does its effect on the price of all foods, not just corn.

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) have made the first in-roads into the alternative automotive industry. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, if 84 percent of all cars and light trucks were plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, fueling them would not require any additional electric generation capacity (2006). Plug-in recharges could occur during night off-peak periods while peak periods could essentially draw power from vehicles not being driven if the demand were needed.

Hydrogen seems to be deemed "the fuel of the future". Through electrolysis using electricity to split water molecules - hydrogen can be created as long as there is water on earth. However the current cost to produce hydrogen is extremely expensive. If this alternative ever becomes cost efficient its potential benefits are enormous. There would be no emissions into the air; typically the only thing to come from the exhaust pipe of a hydrogen powered vehicle would be harmless water.

The future has many positive looking alternatives to the very dirty-burning fossil fuels that make up the vast majority of today's fuel. So far what keeps fossil fuels so much demand is the price and that is a problem that currently appears to be correcting itself as Oil costs are rising while alternative technology is become more accessible.