1. Alternative Fuels
Reid Anderson
P.4

2. Possible sources of fuel
Ethanol Methanol Electricity

3. Ethanol
Ethanol is a fuel made from common food crops like sugar cane or corn
It is Ethyl Alcohol and is the same as the alcohol found in beer or wine
Henry Ford designed his first car to run on Ethanol

4. Pros and Cons of Ethanol
Pros: Source can be re-grown
Crops used are very common
Cons: Reduces car performance
Takes from the food supply
Doesn’t produce fewer emissions than gas
Very inefficient
Problems starting in the winter

5. Progress on Ethanol Ethanol: Ethanol is already mass produced
Trucks and cars would have to changed to use it
More of the crops that produce Ethanol will have to be planted
Less water will have to be used
Crops that aren’t used for food need to be used in Ethanol

6. Methanol Similar to Ethanol, methanol is alcohol based
It is produced using methane
This methane can be harvested in a landfill when the material inside decomposes it releases methane gas
Used in many racing circuits

7. Pros and Cons of Methanol
Pros: Landfills are very common
One time cost of putting in the pipes
Can be used as a natural gas substitute
Cons: Methane is a poison
Corrodes metal quickly
Doesn’t start well in the winter

8. Progress on Methanol
Large numbers of landfills would have to be outfitted with pipes
More efficient ways of decomposing garbage would have to appear.
Cars and Trucks would have to be modified for fuels that are more than 15% methanol

9. Electricity Car runs directly off electricity
Car pulls power from a battery
Would be charged by plugging it in to the power grid at night

10. Pros and Cons of Electricity
Pros: No emissions from the car
Makes use of electricity when plants aren’t busy
Reduces the cost required to drive a car
Less foreign oil being used
Cons: Power still has to come from somewhere
Limited range for the car before having to recharge

11. Progress on Electricty
The first fully electric cars are due to be released in 2010
Would result in more electricity being pulled from the grid
Batteries need to improve to increase range
Cars would have to be completely redesigned and retrofitted

12. Sources http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=trash-based-biofuels