solar power

wind power

global warming

flex fuel

Good things also have a down side

Ethanol is a possible alternative to fossil fuel because it has a cleaner emission. It means ethanol will give off less pollution in the atmosphere. Another advantage to ethanol is that it has a higher octane rating. This means that ethanol can handle more heat in the engine before knocking occurs. Knock is when fuel is ignited before the spark plug gets to detonate the fuel. The bad side to ethanol is the amount of energy available compared the the same amount of fossil fuel. This means that fuel economy decreases. Cost of producing ethanol is more expensive than fossil fuel as a result, federal tax incentives reduce the price to be able to compete with regular gasoline.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/how-e85-ethanol-flex-fuel-works.htm/printable
http://www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/blends/ethanol.html

Fuel cell

Fuel cell is a type of alternative fuel which uses hydrogen. The Hydrogen is used by a energy conversion device called a fuel cell to produce energy. The way fuel cell can produce energy is by converting chemical energy in hydrogen into energy. The only by product is heat and water. Fuel cell has a membrane that only allows protons of the hydrogen atom to pass, but not the electron. The electron has to go around the membrane by going through a circuit. As it goes through a circuit, electricity is produced. At this point, it can power electrical devices. After it has gone through the circuit, the electron bonds with the oxygen atom at the other side along with the proton. This seems to be a perfect solution to fossil fuel, but its cost and durability are problems when developing this technology.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/pdfs/doe_h2_fuelcell_factsheet.pdf

U.S. Senator John Rockefeller introduced the Alternative Fuel Promotion Act. It was made to even out several alternative fuel with the current fuel. The bill would allow alternative fuel to compete in the market with limited federal tax incentives. Rockefeller said that tax incentives would encourage consumers to try new things and when they do, they will soon be using alternative fuel.

image source

http://www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/ccn/archive/3_3hill.html

biodiesel

Biodiesel is another alternative fuel made organically and is also renewable. This source of fuel comes from cooking oil. It is biodegradable unlike regular diesel. Having a biodiesel spill is safer since it can be broken down. Using biodiesel burns 75% cleaner than regular diesel. There no sulfur dioxide emission since biodiesel contains no sulfur.

image source

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel.html

ethanol

Ethanol is an alternative fuel which is alcohol-based. It comes from corn, barley, and wheat. By fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted into simple sugar, ethanol is produced. It is used to used to increase octane and improve emission quality of gasoline. E85 is available for use in certain places of the country. It is made of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.

Problem with fuel

When coal, natural gas, or oil are burned, they release gases into the atmosphere. They are carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and other kinds of gases. The problem with carbon dioxide is that it is a green house gas. It traps heat in the atmosphere that prevents it from escaping into space. As a result, the planet gets warmer. Sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere can create acid rain. Nitrogen oxide also creates acid rain and smog. It can harm the health of humans in several ways.

image source

http://www.powerhousetv.com/stellent2/groups/public/documents/pub/phtv_eb_re_000311.hcsp

source & uses

homes. Other kinds of fuel can be made as well asFossil fuel came from dead plant and animal remains. Once the organic remain is covered, high temperature and pressure is added to the mix for 100 to 300 million years, fossil fuel is made. In 1859, oil was discovered in the U.S. Oil dug from the ground was called crude oil. Burning crude oil is limited in use. By refining the oil into petroleum products, it can be used in many applications. The main product from refining oil is gasoline. It is used to power cars, ships, and planes. Also, heat energy is given off from the fuel refined by crude oil to heat non fuel type products like lubricants and asphalt.
image source

http://www.opec.org/library/FAQs/CrudeOil/q4.htm

http://www.ecology.com/archived-links/fossil-fuel-facts/

Intro

The world we live in today is powered by energy. This energy comes from fossil fuel, coal, and other natural sources. It is a kind of energy that is non-renewable.The term non-renewable means that something can not be replenished in a short period of time. As a result from using these energy sources, a problem emerges. The source of this problem is the byproduct of the fuel after it has been burned. Another problem is the abundance of fossil fuel and the reliance on foreign countries. The solution to these problems are to look for an alternative fuel source. People in the government today are looking for ways to address the issue of fossil fuel by turning to alternative fuels.

image location

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/non-renewable/nonrenewable.html

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/26/alternative-fuels-act-introduced-in-congress/