Alternative Fuels information
Today more than a dozen alternative fuels are in production and use or under development. Although government fleets and private fleets are the primary users of these fuels, consumers have an increasing interest in them. Using these fuels in place of conventional fuels is critical to reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil and emissions that harm air quality.
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Electricity can be produced from a variety of energy sources, including oil, coal, nuclear energy, hydropower, natural gas, wind energy, solar energy, and stored. Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) store electrical energy on vehicles in batteries and use stored electrical energy to power the vehicle and accessories. Hybrid Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PHEV) have battery packs and also have conventional internal combustion engines, and can continue to operate after the batteries are depleted. PEVs only use energy from batteries and must be plugged and recharged before the batteries are fully depleted. Electricity for charging vehicles is especially cost effective if drivers are able to take advantage of off-peak residential rates offered by many utilities. Electricity costs can vary by region, type of generation, time of use, and access point.The only emissions that can be attributed to electricity are those generated in the production process at the power plant. For more details:
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Natural gas is available in two forms: compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Both are domestically produced, relatively low priced, and commercially available. CNG is used in light-, medium-, and heavy-duty applications. LNG is suitable for trucks that require longer ranges because liquid is denser than gas and, therefore, more energy can be stored by volume. LNG is typically used in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. For more details:
Renewable diesel meets the same ASTM standard as fossil diesel, but is biomass-derived and not extracted from ancient deposits. It meets the same fuel specification as fossil diesel, ASTM D975.
Renewable diesel can be used without requiring engine modifications and can use existing petroleum fuel pipelines and retail distribution systems, but is over 50% lower in greenhouse gas emissions than conventional diesel. For more details:
Biodiesel is a renewable, biodegradable fuel manufactured domestically from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease. Biodiesel meets both the biomass-based diesel and overall advanced biofuel requirement of the Renewable Fuel Standard. Like petroleum diesel, biodiesel is used to fuel compression-ignition engines. Biodiesel is frequently sold as a blend of biodiesel and conventional diesel at ratios of 5% biodiesel (B5) 10% biodiesel (B10) and 20% biodiesel (B20). It can also be sold unblended as 100% biodiesel (B100). Biodiesel is sold by the gallon. For more details:
Propane, also known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or Autogas, is stored under low pressure as a liquid but becomes a gas in use. Propane has a high octane rating, making it an excellent choice for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. Propane is a domestically produced high-energy density, clean-burning qualities, and relatively low cost. It is the world's third most common transportation fuel, behind gasoline and diesel. For more details:
Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from various plant materials collectively known as "biomass." More than 98% of U.S. gasoline contains ethanol, typically E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), to oxygenate the fuel, which reduces air pollution. Another blend, E15, is approved for use in model year 2001 and newer vehicles. Some especially equipped vehicles, known as FlexFuel vehicles, are designed to use E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). Ethanol is sold by the gallon. For more details:
Hydrogen is a gaseous fuel that is stored under pressure in tanks on the vehicle. Retail dispensers, which are mostly co-located at gasoline stations, can fill these tanks in about 5 minutes. Hydrogen is sold by weight (in kilograms). When hydrogen is cycled through a Fuel Cell, electricity is produced without any emissions (other than warm water). A hydrogen fueled vehicle is an electric vehicle that uses the fuel cell instead of batteries for producing energy to drive the electric motor and accessories. For more details:
- EV Life
- Plug-In America
- EV Hype
- Drive Clean California
- Veloz "How Can I Save"
- Alternative Fuel Data Center Information on Electricity
- EV Fleet Charging Guidebook
- How is Electricity Generated in Your State?
- Environmental Defense Fund’s Fleet Electrification Solutions Center
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Natural gas is available in two forms: compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Both are domestically produced, relatively low priced, and commercially available. CNG is used in light-, medium-, and heavy-duty applications. LNG is suitable for trucks that require longer ranges because liquid is denser than gas and, therefore, more energy can be stored by volume. LNG is typically used in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. For more details:
Renewable diesel meets the same ASTM standard as fossil diesel, but is biomass-derived and not extracted from ancient deposits. It meets the same fuel specification as fossil diesel, ASTM D975.
Renewable diesel can be used without requiring engine modifications and can use existing petroleum fuel pipelines and retail distribution systems, but is over 50% lower in greenhouse gas emissions than conventional diesel. For more details:
Biodiesel is a renewable, biodegradable fuel manufactured domestically from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease. Biodiesel meets both the biomass-based diesel and overall advanced biofuel requirement of the Renewable Fuel Standard. Like petroleum diesel, biodiesel is used to fuel compression-ignition engines. Biodiesel is frequently sold as a blend of biodiesel and conventional diesel at ratios of 5% biodiesel (B5) 10% biodiesel (B10) and 20% biodiesel (B20). It can also be sold unblended as 100% biodiesel (B100). Biodiesel is sold by the gallon. For more details:
Propane, also known as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or Autogas, is stored under low pressure as a liquid but becomes a gas in use. Propane has a high octane rating, making it an excellent choice for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. Propane is a domestically produced high-energy density, clean-burning qualities, and relatively low cost. It is the world's third most common transportation fuel, behind gasoline and diesel. For more details:
Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from various plant materials collectively known as "biomass." More than 98% of U.S. gasoline contains ethanol, typically E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline), to oxygenate the fuel, which reduces air pollution. Another blend, E15, is approved for use in model year 2001 and newer vehicles. Some especially equipped vehicles, known as FlexFuel vehicles, are designed to use E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). Ethanol is sold by the gallon. For more details:
Hydrogen is a gaseous fuel that is stored under pressure in tanks on the vehicle. Retail dispensers, which are mostly co-located at gasoline stations, can fill these tanks in about 5 minutes. Hydrogen is sold by weight (in kilograms). When hydrogen is cycled through a Fuel Cell, electricity is produced without any emissions (other than warm water). A hydrogen fueled vehicle is an electric vehicle that uses the fuel cell instead of batteries for producing energy to drive the electric motor and accessories. For more details:
