With ever-growing environmental problems and the soaring prices of oil, it is clear that alternatives to our current fuel are desperately needed. Some alternative fuel vehicles have already been invented, and others are well underway. Here are 5 possible alternate fuel vehicles of the future:

1) Solar power
This is one of the simplest alternative fuel vehicles. The way a solar-powered car would work is via solar panels installed on top of it. The only problem is that the amount of energy current solar panels can generate would not be enough to run a car. At the moment they can only be used as a supplementary power source, but engineers are constantly striving for improvement.

2) Liquid nitrogen
This is one of the least expected options for alternate fuel vehicles. When liquid nitrogen (LN2) is subjected to the car’s heat, it turns to gas, which can be used to power turbine engines or pistons. This kind of vehicle can potentially have the same power as a 90 gallon tank of gasoline. There are also no harmful emissions, which is a great bonus for the environment.

3) Hydrogen
There are two ways to use this alternative fuel vehicle: fuel-cell conversion and combustion. In the first method, the fuel cells turn hydrogen into electricity, which is then used to power electric motors. In the combustion method the engine ‘burns’ hydrogen just like it does with traditional gasoline. In both methods the only thing emitted from hydrogen is water or steam.

4) Steam
This type of vehicle would run on steam generated by coal, wood or ethanol. These can be burned in a boiler, and the resulting heat would generate steam from water. The steam then expands and creates pressure, which will be used to power the pistons to push the wheels of the car forward. The design would have to look like that of a steam train. Although it would take a long time to start a steam car, it could go as fast as 100 miles an hour when running.

5) Compressed Natural Gas
This alternative fuel vehicle runs on natural gas, which consists mainly of methane. Methane is already used instead of gasoline to power regular combustion engines. Using methane in this way is much better for the environment, because out of all fossil fuels it creates the least carbon dioxide emissions. The best thing about switching to this alternative fuel is that the gasoline tank in the car can stay exactly the same. These vehicles are already being used in countries and regions that have an abundance of natural gas, such as New Zealand and Po River Valley in Italy.

For more information, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_fuel_vehicle

3. Plastic Cups.
It’s amazing that they’ve finally found something good about these horribly polluting, wasteful things. It turns out that the polystyrene in plastic cups (and plastic dishes in general) could make a good addition to fuel in diesel engines (of course, some minor modifications will be required). The good news is that it is a quick process to melt polystyrene into biodiesel, but it needs to be in just the right quantities. Otherwise, with concentration too high, the emissions could be toxic.

4. Poultry Waste.

This is another one of the most unexpected alternative car fuels. A process referred to as thermo-depolymerisation is applied to process turkey or chicken waste and covert it into fuel. This process entails high pressure and heat in order to break down poultry waste. The only problem with this process is the resulting smell that ends up all around the facility – the local residents would not be too happy about smelling it all day long.

5. Used Diapers.

Yes, you really can use dirty diapers to run your car in the future via something called the ‘pyrolosis process’. What happens is that the fibers, resins, and plastics contained in diapers are converted into a mixture of oil, gas, and char. The annual wasted diapers amount to some 180 million and from this, 11 million liters of diesel can be made! This is a great way to turn something extremely polluting into something extremely useful.

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Since potential oil shortages are spelling pending doom for the average driver, the need for alternative car fuels is ever-growing. Here are some possible kinds of alternative fuel for cars that may be used in a nearer future than you think.

1. Coffee.

Yes, the fuel that is already used by millions of humans in the world to run themselves may also be used to run your car! The waste from coffee grinds is extremely polluting, since it takes years to biodegrade in landfills. However, coffee is also a very rich source of oil. It contains as much as 15 percent of oil for biofuel. So, from the annual 25 million dollars that goes into coffee production we could get as much as 340 million gallons of biofuel and use it as an alternative fuel for cars. In some countries like Switzerland and Germany coffee is already collected to produce compost and natural gas.

2. Wind Power

Besides generating wind energy on land, turbines can also be used to power your car. Some Denmark university students have already designed a car, which had a wind turbine was placed on the back of it. Other wind powered options include a kite car, where is kite is used in a way that is similar to a windsurfing board. This car also has electric motors as backup for when wind speeds are not high enough.

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There are many benefits of hybrid cars because this technology combines the advantages of a gasoline motor with those of an electric engine. Hybrid car technology is used for various reasons, such as to make the vehicle more powerful, to improve fuel economy and usage of the car, and to add an extra power source. In the last 10 years hybrid car technology has advanced significantly. Some of its advances include electric motor drive assist, regenerative braking, automatic start and shut-off system, as well as other options that make the hybrid vehicle more powerful and at the same time decrease the traditional requirements for fossil fuels.

The benefits of hybrid cars also include the fact that they help decrease the levels of carbon and sulfur emissions, since there is less fuel burned because of the car’s electric component. Hybrid vehicles use electricity that comes from the energy created by the car, which means that it uses less fuel. There are hybrid cars that can also use sources of renewable fuel, such as ethanol and biodiesel. These fuels combine traditional diesel or gasoline with biodiesel or ethanol, which are more environmentally friendly, and the result is a hybrid fuel. Hybrid cars emit half the amount of greenhouse pollution and up to 97 percent less toxic emissions than regular cars.

Hybrids run on combustion engines, which are internal, and they have batteries and an electric motor too. When the car slows down or comes to a stop, the energy created by the wheels is used for electricity generation. That electricity then gets stored in the batteries for future use. When the car requires more power, the stored energy provides it from the battery.

There are more benefits of hybrid cars than just environmental ones. For example, hybrid buyers get a federal tax deduction and get purchase incentives. Commutes could actually be faster with hybrid vehicles, because you could take advantage of HOV lanes in certain states. Hybrids weigh a lot less than regular vehicles, because the materials used in their manufacturing very lightweight due to their smaller engines. In addition, there is no need to change driving habits, because there is no difference in driving a hybrid than a regular vehicle.

Hybrid vehicles also have advantages over fully electric cars. For example, they do not have to be recharged, because hybrids can do that on their own. Another advantage of hybrids over electric cars is their versatility. Since traditional fuel or biofuel is used in hybrids along with electric power, they do not need special resources, which makes them more efficient. Of course, hybrid vehicles are not perfect, but they are still much better than traditional vehicles that use gasoline or diesel only and incessantly pollute the environment.

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For more information on hybrid cars, go to:

en.wikipedia.org,
www.fueleconomy.gov

The ElectraFlyer-C
This is a quiet, small, vibration-free electric green plane, which is comprised of a metal motoglider and retrofitted with a special battery pack. The ElectraFlyer-C cruise speed is close to 70 mph, its maximum speed is 90 mph, its stall speed is around half of that. This green plane is able to fly 1.5 to 2 hours before it will have to recharge. It will require a 110v plug-in in order to recharge and will only cost around 60 cents each time.

QinetiQ ‘Zephyr’

QinetiQ has shown that its unmanned, propeller-driven solar plane called the ‘Zephyr’ can fly 83 hours, 37 minutes without stopping. This broke the official world record, which was set by Northrup Grumman’s Global Hawk in 2001. So, it is becoming more and more plausible that solar flights on ‘green planes’ will become standard in the not too distant future.

The Sikorsky Electric Helicopter

This helicopter has been named “the coolest electric vehicle around”. The Sikorsky Electric Helicopter can run on 100 percent electricity and can stay in the air for about 15 minutes. So far, this helicopter is not very functional or comfortable, but it is an amazing first step toward green flying.

To find out more, go to: greenaviation.org

The aviation is developing rapidly and going green. Check out these new innovations in the ‘green plane’ industry. This article follows on from our recent article, about green planes. To read this article, click here

Silverjet – the Eco-Stylish Green Airline

A new UK airline called Silverjet has the goal to be the international market leader in business class air travel that is eco-friendly. Silverjet’s green planes currently fly only from New York City to London, but they intend to expand. The company has joined together with Honda, Sky, CarbonNeutral, DHL, and Barclays to make sure that for each ton of CO2 that comes from their flight, there is one ton saved by means of various global climate friendly projects.

In every Silverjet ticket there is a carbon offset fee included in the price, which is then reinvested in various green projects around the world. Silverjet has become the first carbon-neutral “green airline” in the world.

Boeing Sugar Volt

The Boeing Sugar Volt is a hybrid plane (yes, it’s true!) that has a good chance of becoming the leader of commercial aviation in the future. This green plane was first revealed at the 2010 AirVenture. The Boeing Sugar Volt is predicted to be in the skies by 2053. It would work more like a hybrid, which will be capable of running on both electricity and fuel. 154 people could be seated in the Boeing Sugar Volt and it will have a 3,500 mile range.

Victor Uribe’s A350H Airliner

This is a green plane with a very futuristic design, which will be able to take off like a helicopter, as opposed to the usual slope conventional airplanes take off at. This is projected to save a lot of runway space in airports. This plane’s aerodynamic design will give it maximum speed with very little effort. In the future, this means that airports will no longer need to expand because of rising population and increasing demand for space. Victor Uribe’s A350 green airliner is very eco-friendly, because it is powered by cryogenic hydrogen, which is stored in high-pressure tanks. This is what makes its vertical takeoffs possible.

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The 2011 Nissan Leaf is certainly not a low-volume exotic vehicle such as the Tesla Roadster nor an electrified version of a traditional gasoline car, such as the Mitsubishi i MiEV. It is definitely not a plug-in hybrid like the Chevrolet Volt nor a common hybrid like the Toyota Prius. The 2011 Nissan Leaf is a completely new, purpose-built, battery-powered family car that will be mass-produced, and as it happens, the very first of this type in the world. However, don’t run to the Nissan dealership yet – thinking you are getting the only mass-produced battery powered car.  There are a number of automotive manufacturers that have released cars that you just might want to take a look at.

The demand for an electric car that offers the look and feel of a standard gas powered car has been long coming. Electric cars have finally entered the playing field and while Nissan was the most innovative in their presentation of the Nissan Leaf, the world’s car manufacturers are not going to sit around and let Nissan get all of the sales.
Other automotive manufacturers that have released battery powered cars on a mass scale include: Kia and Renault Samsung. Plans are on the drawing board, if not already in the showroom by the big three U.S. automakers for their versions of the car. As more enter the arena, it will now return to the consumer to decide which vehicle matches their needs most and what extras they can get as standard as well as special order.
Since the Nissan Leaf was the first to be on the road with such a standard of excellence in the drive, what really matters is what it’s like to live with a battery-powered electric car. There is a measurement gauge that you need to consider before buying an electric car, most of which is based on how you drive and the distance you drive. Some electric cars have a max distance of around 100 miles as well as a max speed of 90 mph. Battery powered cars are designed for city roads, not interstate highways, so this can be a downside if you commute on the freeway a lot. Recharging time is another consideration. In some cases, it takes a full eight hours to recharge the battery, but there are options of getting to an eighty percentile in about thirty minutes at some of the specialty high-energy recharge stations.
There are still some major hurtles to overcome with battery-powered electric cars. But, for most of our human population, that live and drive within the city limits, these vehicles are an excellent choice for saving money and the environment.

Tesla Motors Corp was founded in 2003 by a group of intrepid Silicon Valley engineers with the aim of producing increasingly affordable electric cars which are available to the consumer. The company has a vision to reduce global dependence on petroleum-based transportation and significantly lower the cost of electric cars. In alternative energy stock news (further information available at reuters), one of the first IPO’s by a U.S. carmaker since Ford in 1956 took place with the electric carmaker Tesla Motors Corp. The stock price rallied by more than 40% as investors put there money where their belief is: that electric cars will define the future of transportation. Tesla was the biggest gainer on the Nasdaq that day, and this was the strongest first-day performance since the stock debut of Financial Engines Inc’s March, which leaped 44%.

Matt Therian, an analyst with Connecticut-based IPO research house Renaissance Capital explained that the debut comes amid increasing interest in electric cars, and as the well know automakers are preparing their launch of various models of battery-powered vehicles, they are competing not only against the standard internal combustion engine, but also against alternative fuels such as fuel cells and compressed natural gas. Although it is still a little premature to say that electric cars are going to be the next big thing in cars, but if this technology does predominate the potential is massive.

Amid the numerous winners of the jump in stock price at that time, after Tesla Motors Corp’s IPO are the Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp, which bought shares to the value of $50 million at the IPO price. Other winners from this IPO are Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahada Capital Investment. They have a 7.8% stake, and Valor Equity Partners with a 5.25% stake.

In many ways the biggest winner of the increased stock price after Tesla Motors Corp’s initial public offering is the CEO, Elon Musk, who is Tesla’s largest shareholder. He invested over $70 million of his own money, and he owns 28.4% of the company. His stake is now worth over $650 million. Through the sale of some of his shares during the IPO, he earned $15.45 million.
Tesla Motors has expanded their vision so that they now offer other manufacturers the EV parts for expansion of their own lines. They have also partnered with Toyota for future EV ventures. Their marketing genius includes the fact that they not only sell the Tesla EV’s in showrooms- but have an online presence so that anyone can pick their car and select their options.
As the demand for electric cars increases around the world, the incredible innovative concepts of Tesla Motors will be there for delivery.

Government grants are allocated to not-for-profit organizations or entities. Grants are not loans, but, instead are monies that are freely given, without the requirement of paying back. If you are interested in researching government alternative energy grants, you will need to be set up as a not-for-profit. This is not as easy as it sounds, because there is a list of criteria that you need to accomplish before the government and the Internal Revenue Service approves of that label. Assuming that you have accomplished that hurtle you might want to find the true government alternative energy grants.

More and more local, state and Federal grant monies have been allocated for alternative energy and they are even being supported by the President. In 2010, President Obama increased the clean energy funding with a goal of research, development and final reduction of unnecessary energy use. The purpose is to have more dollars available for the development of alternative energy resources. You will need to do a bit of homework on this, but the good news is, the incentives cover a wide span of projects and company types; from farming to fuel use. The funds that are involved in these government grants are becoming more important as the realization reaches a priority that we must search, find and use alternatives to fossil fuels. The first thing that you must understand is that just because you might qualify for a government grant, does not mean that you will receive it. Writing a grant request is a fine art, and every non-profit organization that is out there knows this. The government has established criteria that is often quite a maze to circumnavigate. There are professional grant writers that you might want to think about hiring. These are individuals that understand the routine and requirements that the government is looking for in a grant request submission. This should be an important consideration, as even various branches of state and local governments hire these individuals to write grant requests for other branches of the government.

There are a variety of topics that are available for you to work that are of specific interest to the government and our society. These may include energy renewable resources, electricity and fuel conversion of these renewable energy resources for use in commercial and residential homes and companies. The research and development of vehicle renewable fuels as well as renewable fuels that can be added back into the energy grid.

You might also want to look into organizations that are already in existence for research and development in alternative energy. Organizations like National Bioenergy Center (NREL) have already accomplished a successful list of government grants and have partnered with various companies in the private sector. Partnering with a company that has jumped through the hoops of stipulations will not only help you cut to the chase of grant access, but may also allow you to leverage and pool their existing scientific and engineering resources for quicker results.

The bottom line is, the government understands that our society must relinquish our dependency upon fossil fuels and has enhanced the various government grant avenues to encourage organizations to pursue these lines of research. While navigating through the requirements might not be an easy task, it is possible to get a government grant

1. Electric Vehicles
Fossil fuel alternatives include electricity. With vehicles like the Zenn electric car being offered electricity is becoming a viable option for transportation. The Zenn electric car has batteries which are more efficient, so fewer plug ins are required and the vehicle can go longer before being recharged. No fossil fuels are needed at all with this option.

2. Hydrogen Cars
Hydrogen cars are another option that uses zero fossil fuel. These cars use hydrogen fuel cells, which generate and supply electric power to the vehicle. This process has no pollution or greenhouse gas emissions, and the only byproduct of the conversion process is water, which is clean and pure.

3. Biofuels
Biofuels are very popular fossil fuel alternatives, and there are numerous feedstocks that can be used to produce biofuels. The first generation of these fuels used food crops, such as corn, and this led to critics because of food shortages and higher food prices. New varieties of biofuels use plants that have no food value and do not use fertile crop land, like rapeseed and castor bean plants.

4. Waste Products
Waste to energy programs are fossil fuel alternatives, because coal and other fossil fuels are replaced by municipal trash and household garbage. This process also saves landfill room, and prevents garbage from being discarded and left to contaminate the earth and environment. Electricity and heat can be produced, as well as some forms of biofuels.

5. Ocean Energy
Ocean energy is another alternative to using fossil fuels. Using ocean energy means the need for zero fossil fuel, and the ocean has enough energy to power the entire world without needing any other fuel sources. Ocean energy includes many technologies and processes which produce electricity.