Possible Fuel Options for Your Car

Types of Non-renewable Fuel•Gasoline – 100% gasoline from oil

•Diesel – 100% diesel from oil

•Natural Gas – 100% Natural gas

• Electricity – “Fuel” from power plants

(Coal, Natural Gas, Nuclear)

•Hydrogen Fuel Cell – When hydrogen

comes from non-renewable sources (Coal,

Natural Gas)

Types of renewable fuel• Ethanol – Fuel from corn, soybeans, etc. (Flex

Fuel vehicles)

• Biodiesel – Fuel from vegetable oils

• Electricity – From renewable sources (wind, solar, etc.)

• Hydrogen Fuel Cell – When hydrogen comes from renewable sources (H20 and electricity from renewables)

Types of mixed energy sources

• *Gasohol* – Ethanol and gasoline mixture, usually 10%/90% *What you are using right now

•Biodiesel Blend – Mixture of biodiesel and diesel

•Hybrids – Usually gasohol/electricity

What is a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car?• A hydrogen fuel cell car is a

car that runs on hydrogen.

• A “fuel cell” takes hydrogen gas and combines it with oxygen to make water. This chemical reaction creates electricity to power the car.

• The exhaust is water.

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/30532-one-step-beyond-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-video.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy8dzOB-Ykg

Pros/Cons of Hydrogen Fuel CellsPros:- Does not use oil for fuel!!!- No air pollution- Reduced global warming

Cons:- Expensive to make- Need infrastructure – fuel stations- Fuel tank is big – fuel is a gas not liquid- Getting hydrogen from Natural Gas or

using electricity to break apart water

Problems with Non-renewables

• Dirty Air and water which hurts humans and environment• Relatively cheap right now but it is going

to get really expensive!!• Climate change (Global Warming)

Problems with renewables• Too expensive and not enough fuel to replace

non-renewable sources•Makes food more expensive (Ethanol – Corn)• Infrastructure (Example: Change all gas stations

into hydrogen fuel stations?)• New technology – Reliable??

So what is going to make our cars run in the future instead of gasoline from oil?That will be up to you….

How to make biodiesel• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR1M7ThM-tE• 0-3:30 and 7:30-11:00