Thursday, October 19, 2006

15 Facts About Hybrid Cars

Part III of our series of facts on alternative fuels brings us to the subject of: Hybrid Cars

With the price of oil skyrocketing lately combined with a growing interest in doing less harm to the environment, there has been a great deal of interest in hybrid cars over the past few years. Most major automobile manufacturers now have at least one model of a hybrid car in production, whereas just a short time ago they were a rarity. Hybrid cars differ from electric cars and cars designed to run on alternative fuels, but are also an alternative fuel option themselves. Below is our basic fact sheet on the subject of hybrid cars.

• Most hybrid cars out on the roads right now are gas-electric hybrids. Diesel-electric hybrid cars are only in the development/beginning stages for some manufacturers and in limited production by others.

• While a hybrid car has a gasoline powered engine similar to a standard car, the engine is much smaller however, and uses additional technology to minimize emissions while increasing efficiency.

• In addition to the gasoline powered engine, a hybrid car has an advanced electric motor which also acts like a generator at times.

• Almost all hybrid cars make use of a technology called regenerative braking that allows the car to recover energy through the slowing down process.

• A hybrid car's batteries are where the energy made by the electric motor is stored.

• A hybrid car's electric motor can put energy into as well as draw energy from the batteries.

• The transmission performs essentially the same functions in a hybrid car as it does in a standard car. Most hybrid cars have conventional transmissions, although some have very different ones altogether.

• Types of hybrid cars have been around and sold to the public sine the late 1800's, including one manufactured by Porsche.

• A hybrid car has less wear and tear on its braking system thanks to the regenerative braking technology it uses.

• In one type of hybrid, called a parallel hybrid, both the electric motor and gasoline powered engine are connected to the transmission, giving both the ability to propel the car.

• In another type of hybrid, called a series hybrid, the gasoline powered engine provides power to the generator which can charge the batteries or provide power to the electric motor that has the responsibility of driving the transmission. In this type of hybrid the gasoline engine technically does not directly power the car.

• Studies indicate that a hybrid car puts out 80 to 90 percent less carbon monoxide and reactive hydrocarbons than a standard gasoline powered vehicle.

• Federal, state, and local governments are offering incentives for consumers to purchase hybrid vehicles. These incentives range from free meter parking to income tax credits.

• A plug-in hybrid car is a car that can also operate as a straight electric powered vehicle for shorter commutes and uses the additional gasoline engine power for longer commutes.

• Hybrid cars have reduced wear and tear on their gasoline engines because not as much fuel is run through them and not as much is required from them.

Hybrid cars have been both the beneficiary of and the inspiration for new technological developments in the automotive industry. Thorough testing has determined that some models of hybrid cars can be more fuel efficient than straight gasoline powered cars and at the same time be just as responsive and powerful. Hybrid cars remain today a viable option for families and businesses that want to reduce their reliance on petroleum, save money on fuel, impact the environment in a better way, or all three of those reasons combined.

Owen, Wisconsin to get State's third Biodiesel manufacturing plant

The city of Owen, WI in Clark County is negotiating a deal that would welcome Wisconsin's third Biodiesel manufacturing plant.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

25 Facts About Biodiesel

Continuing our ongoing fact sheet series, we offer:

Biodiesel Fact Sheet: 25 Things To Know

Biodiesel is a popular subject these days due to many factors including world tensions, oil prices, and the environmental impact of petroleum based fuels. Biodiesel has been around for decades but because of this renewed interest, there is a lot of information floating around regarding Biodiesel, some true and some not. Below sits our fact sheet of things to know about Biodiesel.

• The process of turning vegetable oil into Biodiesel is called transesterification.

• Biodiesel is a processed fuel unlike unprocessed alternative-fuels like straight vegetable oil or waste vegetable oil which some diesel engines have been modified to use.

• Biodiesel is cleaner burning than conventional diesel fuel.

• Biodiesel produces fewer emissions during the manufacturing phase than standard petroleum based fuel.

• During the transesterification process, the natural glycerines found in vegetable are separated out and become the only byproduct of the manufacturing of Biodiesel.

• While Biodiesel can and is being produced by current crops of corn and other vegetables, there is research being done on producing vegetables with less focus on taste and more on the quantities of oil they produce.

• Biodiesel is usually yellow in color, although the shade of yellow can vary from production facility to production facility.

• Biodiesel is registered and approved as a fuel and fuel additive by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

• Biodiesel can be used pure or blended with standard diesel fuel.

• Biodiesel can be produced from mustard, rapeseed, soybeans, palm oil, hemp, algae, and more.

• Used vegetable oil, like that found from restaurants and delicatessens, can also be manufactured into Biodiesel.

• Despite the fact that it is often falsely stated, Biodiesel and raw vegetable oil are not the same thing.

• Biodiesel can be produced at home or bought at fuel stations that deal in alternative fuel either alongside standard fuel or by itself.

• The power derived from Biodiesel is comparable to standard diesel fuel.

• Most manufacturers’ warranties cover the use of Biodiesel in their vehicles.

• The emissions from Biodiesel are safer for bystanders to breathe than that of conventional gasoline or diesel.

• Except under rare circumstances, no engine modifications are needed to run a vehicle on Biodiesel.

• When storing Biodiesel use the same standards and procedures you would use storing gasoline or petroleum based diesel.

• Up to 20% of tailpipe emissions can be reduced by using Biodiesel.

• Biodiesel is rated as less toxic than table salt.

• Biodiesel is biodegradable at about the same rate as that of sugar.

• Biodiesel has a flash point of over 125°C (257°F) and as a result it is safer to store than conventional diesel fuel.

• Because it is manufactured from farm raised crops, the purchase of Biodiesel benefits the farmers that raise those crops.

• Biodiesel can be blended with standard diesel fuel by the manufacturer or the home user can blend it as well.

• When Rudolph Diesel first showed his, at that time, new diesel engine at the World’s Fair in 1898 in France it ran on Peanut Oil and it was quite common for diesel engines to run on vegetable oil until the 1920’s.

Biodiesel is a viable and marketable alternative fuel that is ready for use in engines right now. More and more production facilities are being built and the demand for Biodiesel by consumers has been growing. More information can be found at http://biodieselplans.info The widespread use of Biodiesel would benefit those interested in their country being less dependent on oil producing nations, environmental issues, and high oil prices.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

18 Facts About Ethanol

Ethanol Fact Sheet: 18 Things To Know

Due to the price of gasoline, world tensions, and environmental issues there has been a lot in the news lately regarding alternative-fuels. One of the more talked about alternative-fuels is ethanol, what follows is a basic fact sheet on this popular biofuel.

• Ethanol is a vegetable oil based fuel as opposed to standard petroleum fuel.

• Pure ethanol is a clear, colorless liquid.

• Ethanol cuts poisonous exhaust emissions when compared to standard fuel.

• Chemically, Ethanol is a kind of alcohol.

• Ethanol melts at -114° C (-173°F) and boils at 78.5°C (173.5°F).

• Simple sugars are the raw materials that make Ethanol.

• Currently, Ethanol is use mainly by large corporations or government branches who can afford to invest in their own fueling stations, although this is changing.

• Nissan, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford among others make cars that run on Ethanol.

• The vegetables most often associated with the manufacture of Ethanol are corn, barley, trees, grasses, and wheat.

• Ethanol is sometimes used in combination with gasoline, the most popular mixture known as E85 which is 85% Ethanol and 15% gasoline.

• Despite it’s resurgence in popularity, Ethanol has been looked to as a fuel for decades. In fact, Henry Ford originally planned the Model T to run on alcohol.

• Almost all car manufacturers now approve of the use of ethanol in their warranty information.

• The fermentation and the distilling of crops with high sugar content is the basis for making Ethanol.

• Usually industrial grade Ethanol has been denatured, which means a small percentage of unpleasant chemicals (some poisonous) have been added, so it cannot be consumed by humans as an alcoholic beverage.

• Neither the manufacturing or the burning of ethanol adds to the greenhouse effect.

• Ethanol is 100% biodegradable.

• Ethanol is a very high octane substitute for conventional fuel.

• Ethanol can be manufactured privately on an individual level using a still, although it is a little more complex than the manufacture of Biodiesel.

Ethanol is just one of many cleaner burning, sometimes cheaper, better for the world alternative fuels. With the proper research and development, a world that depends less on oil and oil producing countries is a reality.

Great active forum!

For all you new Volkswagen Beetle owners, biodiesel or not, there's an informative and active forum over at www.newbeetle.org, lots of enthusiastic VW owners.

Hybrid Taxi Cab Hits The Streets Of Boston

The city of Boston welcomes it's first hybrid taxi, according to the city this is the first in a long line. A great way to reduce pollution in the city.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Make Bio Diesel For Yourself

Make Bio Diesel for Yourself
By Daniel Roshard

Bio diesel is not a new concept it has been around for quite some time, it is largely the idea of using oils such as vegetable oil and canola to power a diesel vehicle. This is not really a strange concept since the first diesel engine was not made to run on our modern day fossil fuels, but instead was run on peanut oil. Diesel motors do not require the same refined process that is used with modern cars, this in mind diesel engines are not designed for smooth high powered running either, they are more like the draft horse of engines, and will generally last a lot longer than a normal car motor.

Many people who make bio diesel themselves use either used cooking oils or grow crops of canola, and crush it to get oil. Ideally if you have the acreage to grow a crop of canola this is the best method as you are getting clean oil to begin making bio diesel so no time will be wanted in the process of cleaning it. Although used oil from fish and chip shops is just as effective provided that you clean and drain it properly the end result is just as good.

There are many different methods available for making Bio Diesel, A simple one that I have found uses the following ingredients: used cooking oil, Methanol, Sodium Hydroxide.

Note that the oil must be heated and drained twice to ensure that you have got all of the muck out of it, if you don't take the time to do this you will block up your fuel filters. It is advisable to begin with a test batch of bio diesel, this is easily done by using kitchen scales and a blender, with a ratio of 6 grams of sodium Methoxide to 1 liter of cooking oil. This measurement is only a guide that is why you do a test batch, to find out the exact calculation that will be required to make a larger batch.

Heat the oil, add the Methoxide solution and mix this in the blender, and let the mixture stand to settle. If the test batch is successful you will see that the glycerin has sunk to the bottom of the mix once settled, Glycerine looks black, and sinks to the bottom of the blender, but the bio diesel will be an amberish color and will float to the top.This means you have separated the mixture and changed the molecular structure of the oil, it can never revert back to its original status again.

Once you have your calculations correct you can start mixing bigger batches, You will then need to make up a plant for handling larger amounts of oil. There are blue prints of designs all over the internet, they vary in design, just as much as the recipe for bio diesel does! Find one that you feel is easy to make and understand.

On a final note, be sure that you always test the oil first as once you have began the process you cant change your formula. So take care to make sure that all of your calculations are correct before trying to make larger batches. When working with Methanol and Sodium Hydroxide be very careful to take safety precautions to protect yourself from burns, or injury.

Daniel Roshard is an interior designer and environmental activist, studying the integration of traditional house appliances to gardens and outdoors. Daniel writes Biodiesel facts and information articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Roshard

Saturday, October 07, 2006

The Best Thing About Biodiesel

Biodiesel is an alternative-fuel option for diesel burning motors. It has similar chemical properties to standard mineral based diesel but differs in that it has many positive traits for the people of the world and the environment. Biodiesel has many benefits that it offers the manufacturers, the growers, the sellers, and the consumers. But what is the best thing about Biodiesel?

Facts:

  • Biodiesel’s raw materials are renewable.
  • Biodiesel manufacturing produces virtually no waste product.
  • Biodiesel makes western governments less dependent on oil producing countries.
  • Biodiesel burns cleaner than standard diesel fuel.
  • Biodiesel offers similar performance results as standard diesel fuel.
  • Biodiesel is cleaner to manufacture than standard diesel fuel.

The best thing about Biodiesel though is that it is not the fuel of the future, the future is now. Biodiesel is ready to be manufactured and consumed as we speak. Many times when a new technology becomes a reality there is a lag time between when it is invented or developed and when it is ready to be released for general use. This lag time is generally used to let all segments of the manufacturing, distributing, and consumption process become a reality. With Biodiesel, this lag time is not needed.

Bringing Biodiesel to the marketplace would involve four main components. Raw materials to manufacture the fuel from must be found and obtained. Fuel must be processed, or refined, so that it is able to be put into vehicles. There must be a distribution plan setup to get the fuel to market. There must be end users who are able to use the finished fuel product.

The raw materials for Biodiesel are vegetation. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil. In most cases corn or soybean oil is used to make the vegetable oil that is eventually turned into Biodiesel. As these raw materials are very common in almost every corner of the world, obtaining them is not difficult at all.

The processing of Biodiesel is going on right this very minute. Far sighted companies and individuals have been putting millions upon millions of dollars into Biodiesel processing plants all around the world. Millions and millions of gallons of Biodiesel can be made in the United States alone. This process is much cleaner than the process of refining standard diesel fuel as well. There are virtually no leftover byproducts and less pollution is made during the manufacturing process.

The physical properties of Biodiesel are so similar to that of standard diesel fuel that all machinery in use now that is used to handle the distribution of diesel fuel could be used in the distribution of Biodiesel. From the fuel tankers that haul it down the freeway to the gas station’s underground tanks and above ground fuel pumps, Biodiesel needs no special equipment that is not already in use.

So, now we have grown the raw materials, manufactured the Biodiesel, and delivered it to the fuel stations, all that’s left is finding the consumers. Biodiesel can be used in most standard diesel fuel engines with little to no adjustment made to the engine itself. Wherever there is a standard diesel fuel burning automobile, there is a potential end user for Biodiesel.

Biodiesel is ready now to be manufactured, delivered, and used as an alternative to petroleum based fuels. When thinking of the possibilities of Biodiesel, we no longer have to think of “one day”, we can just think of “today”.

Biodiesel Kits, Another Way To Stick It To Big Oil

A great story on how regular people, not scientists, can run their cars on cleaner burning Biodiesel.

For more information on how to do this, don't forget to check out our homepage at BiodieselPlans.info!

Memphis Celebrates First Biodiesel Plant

The city of Memphis, thanks to Milagro Biofuels, opened its first Biodiesel plant.

Biodiesel Production Could Top 200 Million Gallons This Year

A great look at the current Biodiesel situation in this country.

Demand For Soybean Oil Benefits Small Farmers

Soybean oil prices have shot up recently as they are in a near constant demand by Biodiesel manufacturers. This can only help the small farmer.