Term Paper on "Eco-Fuels in the Face of Future Scarcity"

Term Paper 5 pages (1586 words) Sources: 4 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Eco-Fuels

In the face of future scarcity and high costs (economical & environmental) of oil and petroleum products, eco fuels can be considered an alternative."

Oil can be considered a source of energy that has become the indispensable part of our economy. We also acknowledge the fact that oil is a finite resource and we are constantly using this precious resource due to increase in demands. "We have been living on a great fossil fuel inheritance accumulated during more than 500 million years. We will soon exhaust this capital, and we will have to go to work to try to live on current energy income" (Youngquist, 1998).

The analysis and research shows that there should be an effort to find out ways of alternate energy resources of both renewable and non-renewable nature. There are different sources currently available like hydropower, solar energy, thermal energy, nuclear energy, coal etc. More research needs to be carried out to exploit different available eco fuel resources. These resources so far have not been proven as a complete alternative to oil but there are ways in which they can help in decreasing the demand for oil products.

Background

Previously, exploring eco friendly options were not considered a mainstream option. Environmental activists and some scientists were the main proponents of eco friendly fuels. Those activists dreamed of usage of no fossil fuels, production of no poisonous gases, recycling of waste and production of solar-powered electric car. Such concepts are no longer a dream and some of these have been realized in different parts of the world. In fact eco-fuel takes us back to early parts of history when our forefathers used simple objects like wood and turds to fulfill their energy needs. It seems that the trend is moving backwards and we are again looking at cheap substances available for energy needs. Government, non-government organizations and individual working on different levels have even successfully used different cheap products to fulfill their needs.

Bio Fuels: There are different measures being taken to explore alternative and eco-friendly fuels. Not only government but different oil companies are also looking for alternative energy resources. For example, biodiesel, made from rape seed oil is marketed by some companies taking into consideration the global shift towards renewable fuels. Similarly, some are looking for options of biodegradable fuel derived from soybean, canola or other recycled vegetable oils. Another important development is E85, which is gasoline made from 85% ethanol. The development of these bio-fuels are hailed by environmentalists as they do not emit sulfur oxides and sulfates associated with petroleum products and considered responsible for acid rains. The problem with these bio-fuels is that they are not only expensive and also require high maintenance for vehicles. "The drawback to biodiesel is that it is a highly refined fuel, often processed from virgin oils or fats that utilize electricity and highly toxic chemicals, such as methanol in its production, and costs anywhere between $2.30 & $3.80 per gallon. Furthermore, biodiesel destroys fuel lines and gaskets on older diesel engines. The toxic chemicals added to vegetable oil to convert it to biodiesel dissolves the rubber gaskets and fuel lines on older diesel engines. All the gaskets and fuel lines must be replaced with new items designed to withstand the chemicals in biodiesel. The cost of parts and the cost of labor of a mechanic can be expensive" (Kay).

Apart from the biodiesel, bioethanol is also an important bio fuel. Bioethanol like biodiesel is derived from natural products like sugar-beat & wheat. Some government like Swedish government encourages such fuels and provides grants and support for this sector. Some governments even provide relaxation in taxes for supporting bio fuels. However, like biodiesel bioethanol is also available through companies and pump stations while with eco fuels consumers do not have to have their fuel through a utility meter.

Alternatives: The drawbacks in bio diesels made environmentalist concentrate on cheap and easy to make eco fuels. Eco- fuels are touted as the free energy that is not only renewable but is also harmless for the environment as they do not cause any emissions. These eco fuels can generally be made and stored at home meaning that consumer just by incurring some cost on machines and systems can fulfill their energy needs. Today technology can be used to make convert simple products like turds into methane. Some of these technologies require only some efforts on consumers' parts as they are mostly do-it-yourself ventures. There are methods available that make use of hydrogen per oxide to increase the fuel efficiency of the engines of the vehicles. Not only vehicles can be run but using these eco fuels home heating and cooling and power production can also be done. Even alcohol can be used to heat up homes and to cook food. There are organizations and individuals working for the cause and they have developed different easy to implement techniques and methods to use cheap and easily available materials to fulfill different energy needs.

Hydrogen: Hydrogen is another material which is being regarded as a fuel option. Hydrogen and oxygen present in water are hailed by environmentalists as the panacea. There are many organizations that are working to make this dream a reality as they are seeking to establish what they call a 'hydrogen society'. Hybrid cars can be considered a step in this direction with the use of smaller, more-powerful and easily recharged lithium ion batteries for hybrid cars. Such batteries would be able to help in reducing the oil consumption and thus helping in reducing the oil demand. "Commercially realistic hydrogen-powered cars are in the production pipeline, but won't be with us for some years yet, and hybrid electric-fuel cars are available but are quite a pricey choice. Luckily for us there are many eco-friendly alternatives to conventional fuels, especially diesel. Some require conversions for your car, whilst others can be used as-is in your engine. And the great thing is, these alternatives are almost exclusively cheaper that conventional fuels. Let's emphasize that: With a little effort, you could run your vehicle with fewer emissions for as low as half the price you currently pay for fuel. It's true" ('Eco-Lifestyle Ideas for Surfers').

Cooking & Vegetable Oil: Used cooking oil is also considered an eco fuel to do different tasks including running the vehicle. Instead of simply putting the used cooking oil away people can use it as the cheapest possible fuel option. Using cheap kitchen waste material also does not harm environment through electricity or chemicals. Daily waste material of restaurants can also be used for this purpose. Similarly, SVO or 'straight vegetable oil' is also considered a fuel for diesel run vehicles. With the use of a conversion kit to heat up the oil to reduce its thickness, vegetable oil can be as good as any petroleum product and less harmful for the environment.

Solar: The most important easily available option to everyone is in the form of solar energy. Already we have seen in market small gadgets run on batteries run and charged on solar energy. Environmental friendly people all over the world have and are still experimenting on different scales to convert solar energy into electricity. People have to put in some effort into using this unique and cheap energy for their home electricity needs. Some governments even provide grants for the purpose. "The sun's energy, however, can be harnessed in various ways. Architects have known for centuries how best to design buildings that capture and retain the sun's warmth; 'passive solar heating' as it's called is as energy-conscious as it is traditional. Solar collectors (or 'panels') can be added to buildings to heat water. There are also other methods of generating electricity, generically known as 'solar thermal' power plants. Some of these, which concentrate… READ MORE

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