What is the best source of alternative fuel?
With all this talk of becoming dependent of foreign oil and having a drastic transfer to alternative fuels, the question arises in most American households "Well which alternative fuel should we switch to?" What alternative fuel should the government be advertising to draw attention away from oil and promote a less dependent country and a cleaner environment?
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Hydrogen powered cars should be stressed more by the government because it is a very renewable resource that, if the price is controled by the government, will stay relatively low and since water is so accessable by all parts of the world we will never become dependent on foreign water to power our hydrogen-powered vehicles. Also, one of the best things about a hydrogen-powered vehicle is that its emissions are oxygen and water! Hydrogen has become known as a destructive element since the Hydrogen-Bomb was invented, but when powering a vehicle, hydrogen is completely stable and safe to use. When you get into a crash, your car will not catch on fire like an oil-depended automobile would, nor will it explode like so many people relate to hydrogen now-a-days. Side: Hydrogen
In terms of price, the cheapest of all alternative fuels to mass produce is biodiesel because ANY petrolium engine can be cheaply converted into a biodiesel engine, however the thing that is wrong with biodiesel at this point in time is that with the food shortages as they are throughout the world and people rejecting genetically engineered crops, biodiesel is a risky product to manufacture since it requires the use of vegetables to make refined fuel. However, people can also run biodiesel engines off of crude oil which can be found at any participating fast food restaurant who just tends to throw away their used cooking oil anyways. So in a way, should the world convert to biodiesel engines, then life will literally run on McDonalds. ;) Side: Biodiesel
Above tidal forces and solar power in my opinion it's hydrogen - it's just a question of supply. Water dominates the surface of the planet so it would make sense to start with the cracking of H2O to produce the hydrogen we need. The primary question is: how much energy is required to seaprate hydrogen out of water? Side: Downvoters Be Warned
i believe that hydrogen is the best answer to our fuel crisis simply because of the fact that if every car is hydrogen it is used and exits the vehicle as pure water and that water can be recycled back into hydrogen it is the only truly renewable fuel source. BMW has perfected this car already. Side: Downvoters Be Warned
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If it is true that a car can be converted to run on WATER at a cost of between $500-$2000 dollars why not begin there. I believe Ethanol is a very good alternative as well considering it is made from grain. Hydrogen can be made from petroleum but it can also be produced by electrolysis, where electricity is passed through water! Methanol can be manufactured right here in the states from our own coal mines. Biodeisel fuel comes from the fat of animals and is a viable alternative. It's hard to know what the best source is due to cost factors in conversions among other things. We may have to begin by using one alternative while developing the "Mother" of all alternatives which, to me, is still a big question mark! I await the day where the homework is done so we can decide on one or several alternatives used for different purposes. Side: Conversion Sources and Prices
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