Jordan Brown Alternative Energy for Transportation

Jordan Brown Alternative Energy for Transportation

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  Alternative Power Sources For transportation By: Jordan Brown
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  The Problem Human beingshave developed a variety of methods of transportation, almost all of which rely on fossil fuels for power. Unfortunately, burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, causing climate change and Coal is a common fossil fuel poisoning the atmosphere.
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  Fossil Fuel Fossil fuels are combinations of Carbon and Hydrogen into molecules that when burned, release greenhouse gases into the Nitrous Oxide air. Greenhouse gases can be, among other things, Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, and Nitrous Oxides. (Enzler, n.d.) Carbon Dioxide
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  The Alternatives In orderto avoid destroying the atmosphere and the world over time, scientists have been developing alternative energy sources to power our transportation. So far, there is three promising alternative power sources. Hydrogen power, Ethanol, and Electric or Hybrid cars.
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  Hydrogen Power Hydrogen poweris a theory for a power sourced that is gotten by burning hydrogen. Hydrogen is one of few fuel sources that can be used without producing any harmful emissions. This solves the major problem of fossil fuels, but is it a viable option for replacement?
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  Hydrogen Power Several automotive manufacturershave tested out using hydrogen power in their vehicles. Hyundai has made a hydrogen powered vehicle capable of travelling 365 miles on a fuel cell, and Toyota has made one capable of 435 miles. (Fairley, 2012)
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  Hydrogen Power The obstacles for hydrogen power lie mainly in the cost. Hydrogen itself is expensive, but we would also require all new distribution facilities to get the hydrogen to the cars. After some research in the early 2000s, hydrogen cars were given up as inefficient and expensive. Without significant improvement, the technology will not replace fossil fuel.
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  Ethanol Fuel The secondpromising alternative to fossil fuels is ethanol. Ethanol isn't so much an alternative, as it is a much more environmentally version of what we already have. Ethanol is made by distilling starch crops such as corn. When mixed with 15 percent gasoline, it forms E85, an ethanol based fuel. (U.S.D.O.E., n.d.)
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  Ethanol Fuel Ethanol isa good fuel source because it can be produced domestically in North America, and pretty much anywhere else in the world, reducing our dependency on the Middle East for fuel. E85 is also much better for the environment than fossil fuels, and while it doesn't have zero emissions, like hydrogen, it would still be a significant step in the right direction. Barack Obama, the president of the United States, supports ethanol as a fuel source.
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  Ethanol Fuel The drawbacksof Ethanol once again lie in the cost. E85 is currently very expensive to produce, and since it has a lower energy content to volume ratio than fossil fuel, a tank of E85 won't get you nearly as far as a tank of 100 percent gasoline. (U.S.D.O.E., n.d.) Due to the extremely high cost, and less than stellar environmental impact, ethanol will probably not replace fossil fuels any time soon.
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  Electric Vehicles The third,and perhaps most promising advance in alternative energy for transportation has been the electric car. Electric cars are already very common on highways today, since they don't require any extravagant fuelling stations, you can currently get electricity almost anywhere.
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  Electric Vehicles Electric vehicleshave the advantage of producing no tail pipe emissions. Since the atmosphere is becoming such a large environmental concern, lowering greenhouse gas emissions is a fantastic benefit to electric cars. They also have the benefit of using 75% of the power generated by electricity. An average gasoline powered car only uses 20% of the power from burning gasoline (Goertz, n.d.).
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  Electric Vehicles Electric vehiclesare already a very popular alternative to fossil fuel powered vehicles. There are some drawbacks, such as a long charging time and a low range, but despite this, the electric car has become standard. Given time and sufficient technological development, electric cars could come to outnumber, and eventually replace fossil fuel driven cars, and the environment will be better for it.
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  Reference List Enzler, S.M.(n.d.) Fossil fuels. Retrieved from www.lenntech.com/greenhouse-effect/fossil-fuels.htm Fairley, Peter. (2012). Hydrogen cars: A dream that won't die. Retrieved from www.technologyreview.com/news/429495/hydrogen- cars-a-dream-that-wont-die/ Goertz, Joe. (n.d.) The benefits of electric vehicles. Retrieved from emissionfreecars.com/article/The- Benefits-Of-Electric-Vehicles/296058/