Alternative Fuel For Cars, Water 4 Gas

Alternative Fueling

THE RACE IS ON across the country, its communities large and small battle ior a piece of the fuel-cell pie.

The promise of the upstart sector has inspired numerous locales to fashion development programs based on the burgeoning technology. Two early standouts include the state of Colorado and the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania.

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Alternative Fuels Are no Problem for Xaustalyzer.com’s Innovative Products

Xaustalyzer.com offers versatile exhaust analyzers compatible with all common hydrocarbon fuels.

Orange County, CA Prweb - The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that there are more than 350,000 propane powered vehicles operating in the U.S. The majority of these are forklifts and other industrial utility vehicles, but fleet operations such as buses, taxis, and delivery services operate more than 80,000 propane vehicles. There are smaller numbers of vehicles operating on compressed natural gas.

These fuels tend to burn cleaner than gasoline or diesel, but proper maintenance is still important to keep them running clean. This is especially true of lift trucks and other utility vehicles, because they are often used indoors. Forklift operators are susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning if their vehicles are not properly maintained.

The only way to be sure a vehicle is running clean is to analyze the exhaust, but most exhaust analyzers are not designed to measure the emissions of alternative fuel vehicles.

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Alternative Fuel For Cars, Water 4 Gas

EcoComposite Announces Successful Test of Breakthrough Fuel Cell Technology at UC Davis

EcoComposite LLC announces the successful test of its proprietary fuel cell technology by the prestigious Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis. These cost-effective fuel cell plates can be produced in both large and small quantities, and will accelerate the acceptance of fuel cell technology by consumers and commercial industries.

Sacramento, CA Prweb - EcoComposite LLC, a new force in the design and production of commercial fuel cell systems, today announced the successful test of its proprietary Becker Fuel Cell Plate technology by the prestigious Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis.

Test results over a period of two days demonstrated that EcoComposite's proprietary plate technology functioned appropriately and the performance was similar to that expected from graphite plates normally used in fuel cells. Based upon these results, there is every expectation that EcoComposite's fuel cell plates will perform well in fuel cell systems and can be used as a much more economic alternative to standard graphite and other plate systems currently available.

The tests were conducted by Marshall Miller, Senior Development Engineer at ITS-Davis, on prototype fuel cells built using the Becker plate technology in a standard configuration.

The Becker Fuel Cell Plate is named after its inventor, Mr. Rolf Becker, founder of EcoComposite. "This recent achievement opens the door for cost-effective fuel cell systems to be produced in both large and small quantities," stated Becker. "EcoComposite will play a critical role in the advancement of the fuel cell industry and acceleration of acceptance of fuel cell technology by consumers and commercial industries."

Press Contact:
Katherine Wood - kwood@ecocomposite.net. Investor Relations: Ken Murray - kmurray@ecocomposite.net.

Alternative Fuel For Cars, Water 4 Gas

EcoComposite Announces Successful Test of Breakthrough Fuel Cell Technology - UC Davis Endorses Technical and Economic Viability

EcoComposite LLC announces the successful test of its proprietary fuel cell technology by the prestigious Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis. These cost-effective fuel cell plates can be produced in both large and small quantities, and will accelerate the acceptance of fuel cell technology by consumers and commercial industries.

Sacramento, CA Prweb - EcoComposite LLC, a new force in the design and production of commercial fuel cell systems, today announced the successful test of its proprietary Becker Fuel Cell Plate technology by the prestigious Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis.

Test results over a period of two days demonstrated that EcoComposites proprietary plate technology functioned appropriately and the performance was similar to that expected from graphite plates normally used in fuel cells," said Marshall Miller, Senior Development Engineer at the Institute. Based upon these test results, there is every expectation that EcoComposites fuel cell plates will perform well in fuel cell systems and can be used as a much more economic alternative to standard graphite and other plate systems currently available."

Alternative Fuel For Cars

Alternative Fuel For Cars, Water 4 Gas

Alternative fuel

With gasoline prices at record levels, volatility in the Middle East and fresh memories of gunky brown clouds blanketing the Wasatch Front last winter, a small group of Utahns maintains hope that others will follow their lead.

Alternative fuel vehicles have been around for years but have yet to make significant inroads in the auto retail market. If anything, some worry that the opposite is true: Vehicles seem larger and more fuel-consumptive than ever.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, the Salt Lake Clean Cities Coalition will hold its first public outreach event at the downtown public library. Discussion topics will include energy dependency and the economics of alternative fuel vehicles.

"This is the highest I've ever seen prices for gasoline," said Beverly Miller, director of the coalition. "Not just here - anywhere. And I must admit that I've been fascinated with the fact that there has been no particular outcry, no public indignation for these prices. People are going to the pumps, and they're just paying it."

Miller said motorists along the Wasatch Front use about 1.5 million gallons of natural gas per year, compared to 1 million gallons of petroleum per day. On a larger scale, the United States accounts for 26 percent of the world's oil consumption, Miller said, but 9 percent of the world's oil production and 2 percent of world oil reserves.

Most of the natural gas used in Utah for transportation is used in fleet vehicles for businesses and other organizations. For example, Questar Gas uses natural gas vehicles (NGVs), not surprisingly, as does the Jordan School District and the Newspaper Agency Corp., as well as smaller businesses like The Flower Patch.

Miller said there is a slowly growing group in the business community and general public that has converted to alternative fuel. However, she said, many of the concerns of a decade ago persist: among them, that NGVs are more expensive and less peppy, refueling is less convenient and the vehicles' range is smaller.

Though that may have been true in the past, technology is making alternative fuel a viable option, Miller said. Jack Elizondo, senior product representative for Questar Gas, said businesses -- especially those that employ fleets of vehicles -- are seeing the benefits of using NGVs.

"If anyone is paying $1.83 per gallon, or more, for (gasoline), you could cut that in half if you were running natural gas," Elizondo said. "The payback ultimately depends on how much fuel you burn. Questar Gas is working with a customer now who wants two natural gas vans. The business travels a lot of miles, and we figured that they'd spend $12,000 to $14,000 more for those two vans but that they'll recover that investment in less than eight months. And that's without any (financial) incentives."

Jim Hinckle, director of transportation at the Jordan School District, said it is in the process of buying 10 more natural gas - run buses, bringing its NGV fleet to 30 buses, plus other maintenance and fleet vehicles. West Jordan High also uses NGVs in its drivers' education classes.

"I'd say that the benefits are the longevity and decreased maintenance costs of the vehicles," Hinckle said. "They break down less often and run longer and cleaner."

Hinckle declined to speculate on how much money the district saves by using alternative fuel vehicles. (Each natural gas bus costs about $30,000 more than a traditional bus.) However, he said, "it's enough to allow us to continue with the program. It's worth it to us."

Hinckle added that, unlike many businesses, the school district has its own maintenance and fueling stations and receives government grants and other incentives to offset the cost. Without those three things, he said, running NGVs would be "considerably more difficult."

The Flower Patch, a locally owned flower vendor, has a somewhat more frustrating story. The business decided to convert its delivery fleet to natural gas nearly a decade ago and experienced a full spectrum of complications.

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“Pulse on America” Show to Feature Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center

"Fuel Cells & Alternative Energy: Engineering a Future We Can Live With - Now."

Deerfield Beach, FL Prweb - PTGTV is pleased to announce the selection of the Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center for its innovative, educational television series, "Pulse on America." The Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center will be featured in a segment on Fuel Cell Projects and Renewable Fuels in the Special Report Series. The featured segment is will address “Fuel Cells & Alternative Energy and the need to Engineer a Future We Can Live With – Now.”

Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center (CGFCC) aims to combine the necessary elements of science, engineering and society to make fuel cells a feasible energy conversion technology for a “sustainable civilization.” The Center’s focal point is to be a leader in fuel cell research and engineering so that Connecticut will be the primary global venue for the fuel cell industry as well as providing fuel cell education, development and deployment.

Fuel cells convert energy from fuel directly into electrical energy. A fuel cell operates on a continuous basis as long as fuel and oxidant are supplied, unlike batteries that slowly lose their energy or discharge. Hydrogen is frequently used as the fuel so that the products of the fuel cell are only electricity, water and heat. Fuel cells are a highly efficient, clean, and reliable alternative to conventional electrical generators. When fossil fuel usage is being replaced by renewable energy sources, hydrogen will be used as an energy storage medium with fuel cells being the preferred means for generating electricity. The integration of fuel cells with environmental control devices (air conditioner, heat pump, hot water, emergency power) for a building will provide a significant cost reduction.

Alternative Fuels

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Alternative Fuel Proves To Be More Cost Effective Than Fossil Fuels

Biodieselathome.net, a company that leads the field in alternative fuel information services has recently launched a service to assist visitors in making fuel alternatives at home.

Florida Prweb - Biodieselathome.net, a company dedicated to the spread of information about alternative fuels has recently introduced instructions for making inexpensive alternative fuels at home.

Alternative Fuel For Cars, Water 4 Gas

Alternative Fuels

Leon Schumacher has other ideas for soybean oil than using it to cook french fries.

He is using the liquid to fuel diesel engines - and says the outcome is cleaner air and longer lasting vehicles.

"We've been looking at alternative energy resources," says Schumacher, a professor in University of Missouri's department of biological and agricultural engineering. "We're hoping the product could increase the life of the engine" and the time between oil changes.

Since 1991, Schumacher has been studying ways to use soybean oil to reduce U.S. dependency on non-U.S. oil. He says his product burns the same as diesel fuel but emits less pollution. The only disadvantage, he says, is its high production cost.

"Biodiesel," a blend of soybean oil and diesel fuel, is an alternative Schumacher is considering to keep costs low while gaining some of the benefits of pure soybean oil. His research shows that mixing amounts as small as 1 percent soybean oil with diesel fuel reduces wear particles in the fluid enough to prolong engine life and reduce toxic emissions.

"I want to work more closely with the engine manufacturers," Schumacher says, to determine the best ways to use renewable energy resources made from agricultural materials, wastes and byproducts. The fuel could come from sunflowers, peanuts or even "the lard in tallow from processing plants," he says.

Schumacher, 44, earned his bachelor's degree in agriculture education and master's degree in agricultural and vocational education from North Dakota State University. His Ph.D. is in agricultural education and agricultural systems management from Iowa State University in 1987.

"When I was in fourth grade I was drawing pictures of engines," he says. "It's always been an interest area of mine. It's been kind of a natural for me. I grew up on a farm and had a lot of time to sit on a tractor and think."

Schumacher taught high school agricultural education for six years and has been at University of Missouri in Columbus for 13 years.

For another recent project, he tested 100 tractors' performance, put new filters in their engines, then tested them again. Changing the filters improved performance efficiency 5 percent and showed local farmers how simple maintenance can increase production -- and profits.

But developing renewable fuels is Schumacher's biggest concern today.

"We need to have energy around for our children. Indirectly, my job affects everyone. We need alternative ways to move our products."

So far, Schumacher's biodiesel tests have been under simulated conditions and he hopes to soon begin monitoring engines using the fuel under real-world operating circumstances. He will track fuel economy, quality and other factors to determine his mixture's benefits. Extending a truck's engine life will save transportation costs, which will be passed on to agricultural producers, Schumacher says, and eventually to consumers.

Schumacher predicts an open job market for future graduates interested in renewable fuels.

ENERGY

People use energy to pump water, heat homes and power the cars and other devices that provide them with a high standard of living and comfort. Energy comes in many forms including electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, hot water and hot air. However, dangerous substances, such as carbon dioxide and chemicals, are often released when producing or using energy. These waste products cause air and water pollution and may contribute to global warming.

Many biological and agricultural specialists and engineers are discovering alternative energy sources such as plants, methane, vegetable oil, wind and solar power. They study and test energy options they hope will someday help

maintain modern conveniences while reducing adverse effects on the environment.

These specialists also seek ways to conserve energy to reduce costs and improve the environment. Alternative energy uses - and energy conservation - will pose ongoing challenges for the future.

Alternative Fuel

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Alternative fuels and the law

Management techniques - Moving toward cleaner air and a lower dependency on off-shore oil has meant that certain fleets must meet some specific government mandates.

For many years the U.S. government has been dealing with the intertwined issues of weaning this country away from its dependency on foreign oil and cleaning up the air we breathe by lowering fuel emission levels. In the wake of some fairly extensive legislation, a specific sector of the trucking industry currently grapples with the laws in an effort to comply.

Who needs to comply?

The Clean Air Act (CAA) was passed in 1970 to improve air quality nationwide. Congress amended the law in 1990, creating several initiatives to reinforce one of the original goals, which was to reduce mobile source pollutants. The new set of rules is called the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA). Implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Clean Fuel Fleet program (CFFP) is one such initiative. The CFFP requires fleets in cities with significant air quality problems to incorporate vehicles that will meet clean-fuel emissions standards.

Federal, state, municipal, fuel provider and private fleets are currently affected by CAAA. Fleets that own, operate, lease or control at least 10 light-duty vehicles, trucks (8,500 pounds GVWR or less) or heavy-duty vehicles (over 8,500 to 26,000 pounds GVWR) are covered. Of the fleet vehicles, 10 or more must be operating in an affected area and be centrally fueled or capable of being centrally fueled 100 percent of the time at a fueling station that is owned, operated or controlled by the affected fleet operator.

The affected areas are called Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CMSA) and are comprised of a population of at least 250,000 as of the 1980 U.S. Census and have been classified as extreme, severe or serious nonattainment areas for ozone or carbon monoxide. Under the CAAA, states were given the option to adopt the CFFP or a substitute program that achieves equivalent or better emission reductions, an option some states have taken.

Fuel definitions

As for fuels, the CAAA defines a clean fuel as any power source on which a vehicle is certified to meet federal Clean Fuel Vehicle (CFV) emission standards. Clean fuels include alternative fuels, oxygenated fuels, reformulated gasoline (RFG) and conventional gasoline. A CFV is a vehicle that is certified to Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards or better and operates on the fuel to which the vehicle was certified as a LEV. The fleet operator must always use the clean fuel in the affected area.

Speeding up the process

In 1992 the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) was passed to accelerate the use of alternative fuels in the transportation sector. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) primary goals, as stated, are to decrease the nation's dependency on foreign oil and increase energy, security through the use of domestically produced alternative fuels. The DOE's mission is to replace 30 percent of petroleum-based engine fuels by 2010.

While there are some similarities to the CAAA guidelines for fleets, primarily the fact that federal, state and alternative fuel provider fleets are currently mandated and the CMSA cities are the same, there are differences. The fleets that are covered under the EPAct ruling must own, operate, lease or control at least 50 light-duty vehicles (8,500 pounds GVWR or less). Of the fleet vehicles, 20 or more must be operating primarily with any affected area. The vehicles must also be centrally fueled.

EPAct defines an alternative fuel as any fuel that is substantially non-petroleum and yields energy, security and environmental benefits. The following fuels are currently recognized: methanol and denatured ethanol as alcohol fuels (alcohol mixtures that contain no less than 70 percent of the alcohol fuel), natural gas (compressed or liquefied), liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, coal-derived liquid fuels, fuels derived from biological materials and electricity (including solar energy). DOE can expand this list when new fuels are developed and approved as meeting this definition. Vehicles designed to run on any of these alternative fuels may be dedicated or dual-fuel, including bi-fuel and flexible fuel.

Law enforcement vehicles, nonroad vehicles and vehicle used for product evaluations or testing are exempt from EPAct mandates.

Fleets and Updates

Most fleets that fall into the alternative fueled-vehicle category, know they fit the profile and have a fairly good idea of what federal and state laws require of them. But while the laws remain the same for now, there are updates in vehicle/engine offerings as new model years are introduced to comply with the laws as well as advancements in the technology surrounding fuels.

The emission regulations, vehicle and fuel updates are going to continue to have a broad reaching impact on our industry as we work towards meeting more stringent environmental benchmarks. It would be a good idea for fleet managers to stay current on the laws and the products/fuels that will help them comply.

Types Of Alternative Fuel For Cars

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Unique Fuel Conversion System For Ethanol Power Cars - Abcesso Technology

From now you don't need to use only gasoline to run your car as there are a lot of different alternative fuels. The choice of alternative fuel sources is larger today than it has ever been before. Take advantage of fuel conversion system and run your cars on ethanol (E85) fuels instead of traditional gasoline.

Prweb - Abcesso Technology has launched for the first time outside Brazil their latest fuel conversion system for ethanol power cars. When installed it makes the normal gasoline car behave and perform as a Flex Fuel Vehicle. The system is totally automatic, there is no fuel selection switch, and the management system recognizes the "lambda probe" signal and automatically adjusts to whichever fuel is being used in any proportion.

Ethanol is a clean-burning, renewable, produced by fermentation. It is a product of sugar metabolism in certain species of yeast in the absence of oxygen. The process of culturing yeast under conditions to produce alcohol is referred to as brewing. Yeasts can grow in the presence of up to only about 14% alcohol, but the concentration of alcohol in the final product can be increased by distillation.

Ethanol contains oxygen that provides a cleaner and more efficient burn of the fuel. When used in ethanol power cars, it reduces carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming. Although burning ethanol still releases carbon dioxide during production and combustion.

The use of ethanol blended fuel is very popular in the United States. One of the most popular is E85 fuel a mixture of conventional gasoline and ethanol. The result is a much cleaner burning fuel that is just as efficient as standard fuels. This mixture is optimized for a combination of clean exhaust and efficiency and will function properly in almost any non-diesel car or truck.

So, what is ethanol? Ethanol is ethyl alcohol which needs to be 100% pure. Ethanol is the highest performance fuel on the market and keeps today's high-compression engines running smoothly. Ethanol-blended fuel (such as E85) keeps your fuel system clean, cause it does not leave gummy exhausts.

And because ethanol burns cleaner, it produces fewer emissions. Today, all ethanol cars manufacturers approve the use of ethanol blended fuels and even recommend to use ethanol for its positive environmental impacts.

The use of an ethanol will allow to increase the performance of ethanol cars in general. Initial tests showed that ethanol may also extend from 20 to 80% the engine's maintenance. The conversion of existing engines is not only feasible, but also cost effective.

Be earth friendly and play your part in pollution control by installing fuel conversion products to improve fuel economy. Who allow your fuel efficient car to run using ethanol fuel, gasoline or even mix of both - E85 fuel.

Types Of Alternative Fuel For Cars