The Energy of the Future Essay Example for Free

The Energy of the Future Essay Alternative fuels are simply non-petroleum energy sources that are used to substitute petroleum products in supplying energy for engines while providing environmental benefits (DOE, 2005). The search for these fuels is the current trend since it is projected that fossil fuels, the source of petroleum products, would run out in the near future. Year 2005 was predicted as the peak of world oil production, after which, the world oil production would decline. By 2030, it is predicted that world oil production would be the same as the production before 1980; the only difference is that the population is higher thus the demand would be greater. This would then mean that there would be higher prices of oil products; thus the search for alternative fuels is essential (Life After the Oil Crash). In addition, the degradation of the environment calls for these alternatives to impede the possible series of catastrophic events One alternative fuel being widely promoted is the Biodiesel. It is a renewable fuel made from agricultural sources such as animal fat and vegetable oils. This is produced through the transesterification of the base oil by reacting it with an industrial alcohol and a catalyst to convert it to a fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) fuel. In its pure form, also known as B100 or neat diesel, it is capable of powering an ordinary diesel engine, however, some blends are also produced such as the B5 (5% biodiesel and 95% diesel) and the B20 (20% biodiesel and 80% diesel). Most present diesel engines are compatible with running on biodiesel, however, manufacturer specifications should still be considered to avoid warranty violations. In terms of performance, biodiesel is comparable with ordinary diesel; though it has 2-8% less fuel economy, it gives better engine performance and lubrication (US EPA, 2006). Another alternative being promoted due to its potential and environment friendliness is the Hydrogen and the Fuel cell. Hydrogen is the most abundant and simplest element on earth; however, it is usually bonded with other elements to form other things such as water (H2O), hydrocarbons (CH4) and other organic matter making it unavailable (EERE, 2007). On the other hand, fuel cells are electrochemical devices that produce electricity by combining hydrogen or other hydrogen-containing fuels and oxygen. In contrast to batteries, fuel cells are different since it requires a continuous source of external fuel (OEE, 2007). The electricity produced will be used to power the engine. However, hydrogen is bulky and has a small amount of energy per volume; this means that storage techniques of this fuel are critical to its success. But still, hydrogen as a fuel is efficient since it is clean burning and fuel cell vehicles have a potential higher efficiency compared to gasoline vehicles (about 2-3 times more) (EERE, 2007). Another alternative fuel is the electricity. Electric vehicles have long been in use by some countries; however, it gained low popularity due to its disadvantages like higher cost, the size and weight of the battery, short distance covered and long charging time. Nevertheless, the search for alternative fuels has shifted the attention back to electric cars due to its environmental friendliness and its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Researches are on their way to develop the battery system of the vehicle such that lighter and smaller batteries that could enable the car to reach almost 300 kilometers on one charging and last for 5-10 years could power the vehicle at acceleration and speeds similar to gasoline powered vehicles (OEE, 2007). The 2008 Tesla Roadster Electric Vehicle is a very interesting vehicle. It runs purely on electricity, can reach 60 mph in 3. 9 seconds, has a 135 mpg equivalent, covers 220 miles per charge, consumes less than $0. 02 per mile and has a built-in battery charging system that can be plugged into an outlet (Tesla Motors, 2008). Though this car is very interesting, I would not opt to buy this because it is very limited and has a selling price of $109,000. I think these are the reason why there still few of these around; they are very costly and are very limited. References Department of Energy. (2005). Alternative Fuels. Retrieved June 4, 2008, from http://www. doe. gov. ph/AF/Alternative%20Fuels. htm Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (2007, November 20). Hydrogen. Retrieved June 4, 2008, from http://www. eere. energy. gov/afdc/fuels/hydrogen. html Life After the Oil Crash. Are We Running Out? I Thought There Was 40 Years of the Stuff Left. Retrieved June 4, 2008, from http://www. lifeaftertheoilcrash. net/ Office of Energy Efficiency. (2007, April 16). Fuel Cells and Hydrogen. Retrieved June 4, 2008, from http://www. oee. nrcan. gc. ca/transportation/fuels/hydrogen-fuelcells/hydrogen. cfm? attr=8 Tesla Motors. (2008). The 2008 Tesla Roadster. Retrieved June 4, 2008, from http://www. teslamotors. com/ US Environmental Protection Agency. (2006, October). Biodiesel. Retrieved June 4, 2008, from http://www. epa. gov/smartway/growandgo/documents/factsheet-biodiesel. htm