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Alex Huntington
Mrs. Dengler
CP English 9
14 Dec. 2010
Alternative fuels for transportation
Humans will use a total of 7.5 billion gallons of gasoline by the year 2012. Rising gas
prices are becoming a scarcity for humans, and solutions for this problem consist of hydrogen, vegetable
oil and ethanol. Gas is a fossil fuel so that means there is a certain amount left here on Earth. So
that means once humans use all the gas on the earth, there will be none left. Gas is always rising
because more people need it in everyday life. Gasoline also emits harmful gases that consist of
carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. Nitrogen oxide is the main source of urban smog and can
affect the ozone. If humans don’t act fast and find an alternative fuel, humans may run out of gas
and fuel cells.
Hydrogen is probably the most well-known solution for a fuel cell, but it may be the most
complicated and time consuming ways to be alternative fuel. Hydrogen is also the greenest fuel
cell there is here on earth besides oxygen. When nitrogen is burned it only emits two thirds
nitrogen which isn’t harmful to humans. Unlike gas, hydrogen doesn’t emit carbon dioxide,
which is harmful to the environment and ozone layer. Hydrogen is believed to be the future of
fuel cells according to the scientists at UCI. When hydrogen is burned, it turns into water vapor.
Gas emits exhaust with a combination of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. There are a few
problems with hydrogen as a fuel cell. Scientists say that getting hydrogen able to run cars is
very time consuming and difficult. Hydrogen is made from natural gas which means that
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hydrogen costs a lot more than natural gas and gasoline. Hydrogen is unable to be stored in the
engine because hydrogen is flammable; a slight spark could cause the engine to combust.
Hydrogen may be the future of fuel cells but it will not be any time soon that vehicles will be
running hydrogen.
Hydrogen is probably the most well-known solution for a fuel cell, but it may be the most
complicated and time consuming ways to be alternative fuel. Hydrogen is also the greenest fuel
cell there is here on earth besides oxygen. When nitrogen is burned it only emits two thirds
nitrogen which isn’t harmful to humans. Unlike gas, hydrogen doesn’t emit carbon dioxide,
which is harmful to the environment and ozone layer. Hydrogen is believed to be the future of
fuel cells according to the scientists at UCI. When hydrogen is burned, it turns into water vapor.
Gas emits exhaust with a combination of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. There are a few
problems with hydrogen as a fuel cell. Scientists say that getting hydrogen able to run cars is
very time consuming and difficult. Hydrogen is made from natural gas which means that
hydrogen costs a lot more than natural gas and gasoline. Hydrogen is unable to be stored in the
engine because hydrogen is flammable; a slight spark could cause the engine to combust.
The last alternative fuel is ethanol. Ethanol is all natural made from corn husks. Ethanol
also may be the solution in the near future. Ethanol can cut down on global warming by 18
percent if everyone in the United States used ethanol as a fuel cell or diesel. Around 2020, new
scientists plan to develop new techniques for ethanol to run more smoothly on vehicles. By
developing these new techniques, scientists plan to cut down on emission by 80 percent. There
are many problems with ethanol though. Ethanol is a lot more expensive than gasoline and other
alternative fuels. Scientist is worried that ethanol may perform better on different vehicles.
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Performance as ethanol as a diesel may result in failure of the engine. Ethanol is a good choice
for an alternative fuel, but it may be a while till humans find the suitable car for ethanol.
I think the best alternative fuel that will help the environment and become more green is
hydrogen. I believe this is the best choice for alternative fuel because it emits very little harmful
gases. When hydrogen is burned, it turns into water vapor, which is harmful to the environment.
You will not see hydrogen powering any vehicles in the early future. Scientists believe in about
20 to 40 years, every vehicle will be powered by hydrogen as a fuel cell. Another alternative fuel
that I believe may be powering some vehicles in the near future is ethanol. Scientist hopes to
have every diesel-powered engine to have the capability of running on ethanol in a couple of
years. Ethanol does emit hazardous gases, but it is a good 80 percent less than exhaust from
gasoline. Ethanol may be a good choice for near future fuel cells, but I believe hydrogen is the
best solution for an alternative fuel.
Alternative fuels for transportation may not seem like a big problem, but when gasoline
disappears from earth, it will become a scarcity. Rising gas prices is becoming a scarcity for
humans. Although this is major problem, there are many solutions that will benefit the earth.
Solutions for this problem consist of hydrogen, vegetable oil, and ethanol. We humans need to
act fast and find a solution for gasoline. Exhaust produced by gasoline emits very hazardous
gases into the ozone that will soon destroy the ozone. Alternative fuels for transportation is
becoming a bigger problem every day, and our best solution to this problem is hydrogen.