Alternative fuels as defined by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 include: Biodiesel When biodiesel is blended with petroleum diesel, it produces a fuel that is compatible with diesel engines, displaces imported petroleum, and reduces harmful emissions. Blends like B2 (2% biodiesel and 98% diesel) and B5 (5% biodiesel and 95% diesel) are becoming increasingly common as drivers become more aware of the many benefits. Biodiesel blends of 20% biodiesel or more are also widely available. Biodiesel is manufactured by chemically reacting vegetable oils, recycled cooking grease, or animal fats with alcohol. Today's biodiesel is primarily made from domestically produced soybean oil, which has extremely low sulfur content. Cooking oil and animal fat biodiesel is also produced with very low sulfur. As long as the biodiesel used for blending meets ASTM D6751 standards, low-level biodiesel blends such as B2 and B5 can be used safely in any compression-ignition engine that is designed to be operated on diesel fuel. This may include diesel-powered cars, trucks, tractors, boats, and electrical generators. National Biodiesel Board http://www.biodiesel.org/ Electricity Electricity can be used as a transportation fuel to power battery electric and fuel cell vehicles. When used to power electric vehicles or EVs, electricity is stored in an energy storage device such as a battery. EV batteries have a limited storage capacity and their electricity must be replenished by plugging the vehicle into an electrical source. The electricity for recharging the batteries can come from the existing power grid, or from distributed renewable sources such as solar or wind energy. Fuel cell vehicles use electricity produced from an electrochemical reaction that takes place when hydrogen and oxygen are combined in the fuel cell "stack." The production of electricity using fuel cells takes place without combustion or pollution and leaves only two byproducts, heat and water. Ethanol Ethanol is an alcohol-based alternative fuel produced by fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted into simple sugars. Feedstocks for this fuel include corn, barley, and wheat. Ethanol can also be produced from "cellulosic biomass" such as trees and grasses and is called bioethanol. Ethanol is most commonly used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of gasoline. Ethanol can be blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. E85 and blends with even higher concentrations of ethanol, E95, for example, qualify as alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct). Vehicles that run on E85 are called flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) and are offered by several vehicle manufacturers. In many areas of the United States, lower concentrations of ethanol are blended with gasoline. The Energy Policy Act Revisions of 2007, in fact, make requirements for fuel suppliers to blend with ethanol or a similar oxegynate. The most common low concentration blend is E10 (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline). E10 is not considered an alternative fuel under EPAct regulations. Hydrogen Hydrogen (H2) will play an important role in developing sustainable transportation in the United States, because in the future it may be produced in virtually unlimited quantities using renewable resources. Hydrogen has been used effectively in a number of internal combustion engine vehicles as pure hydrogen mixed with natural gas. In addition, hydrogen is used in a growing number of demonstration fuel cell vehicles. Hydrogen and oxygen from air fed into a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell "stack" produce enough electricity to power an electric automobile, without producing harmful emissions. Methanol Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, can be used as an alternative fuel in flexible fuel vehicles that run on M85 (a blend of 85% methanol and 15% gasoline). However, it is not commonly used because automakers are no longer supplying methanol-powered vehicles. Methanol can be used to make methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), an oxygenate which is blended with gasoline to enhance octane and create cleaner burning fuel. MTBE production and use has declined because it has been found to contaminate ground water. In the future, methanol could possibly be the fuel of choice for providing the hydrogen necessary to power fuel cell vehicles. Natural Gas Natural gas is domestically produced and readily available to end-users through the utility infrastructure. It is also clean burning and produces significantly fewer harmful emissions than reformulated gasoline or diesel when used in natural gas vehicles. In addition, commercially available medium- and heavy-duty natural gas engines have demonstrated over 90% reductions of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter and more than 50% reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) relative to commercial diesel engines. Natural gas can either be stored onboard a vehicle as compressed natural gas (CNG) at 3,000 or 3,600 psi or as liquefied natural gas (LNG) at typically 20-150 psi. Natural gas can also be blended with hydrogen. Area Resources for Conversion Information: Tulsa Gas Technologies 4809 S. 101st E. Ave. Tulsa, OK 74146 Ph: 918/665-2641 http://www.tulsagastech.com/ Propane Propane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a popular alternative fuel choice for vehicles because there is already an infrastructure of pipelines, processing facilities, and storage for its efficient distribution. Besides being readily available to the general public, LPG produces fewer vehicle emissions than reformulated gasoline. Propane is produced as a by-product of natural gas processing and crude oil refining. Area Resources for Conversion Information: Oklahoma LP Gas Research, Marketing and Safety Commission
6412 N. Santa Fe, Suite C
Oklahoma City, OK 73116-9111
Ph: 405/879-9828 fax 405-879-0304
email: lpgascomm@rhess.com http://www.oklpgas.org/ Alternative Fuels Prices Report July 2007 | 
