The Polution Solution

I'm coming round to the view that, provided you use a responsible fuel, its fine to use a gas guzzler. From what I'm reading LPG just about fits the bill, but Biodiesel does better. However I'm most interested in what's around the corner as a 'polution solution' fuel to power all types and sizes of conventional combustion engines.

In the meantime here's a journalist view of a whole bunch of non-polutting cars, more accutately less polluting, cars that are now out there. The following was put together by the Sunday Times (11 January 2004), as a 'box' for artice about the MIDI Minicat, that is the subject of CNN's Global Challenges report to be shown the following Sunday.

Compressed Air

MIDI Minicat
Good Instead of a petrol tank there are two tanks containing air compressed to 300bar - when the air is released the air expands, driving pistons in the four cylinder engine, creating equivalent of 25bhp. Quick to fuel up by a compressor (slow - four hours - via its electic motor which compresses air in the tanks). Low running costs.


Bad Compressed air is produced with use of electicity. All new design. Only good for cities.

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

2004 Honda Civic GX
Good Produces about 60% less carbon monoxide and 10% less carbon dioxide than petrol. Powers conventional engine.
BadManages only half the range of the equivalent amount of petrol and therefore needs very large fuel tanks. Cleaner, but still far from bing a zero-emissions fuel.

Solar Power

2004 Honda Dream prototype
Good Solar power is free, unlimited and has zero emissions.
BadCannot control the weather. Solar cells inefficient.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

GM Hy-Wire prototype
Good Combines hydrogen and oxygen from the air to poroduce an electice currtne that powers a motor. Only waste outputs from this chemical reaction are heat and water.

Bad Prodcution of the hydrogen fuel by electrolysis of water releases chlorine as a by-prodcut; other methods of mass production release carbon dioxide. The system also has acost disadvantages: development expenses and precious metals required in the engine currently translate to sky-high prices. Buses for instance cost £1M each.

Biodiesel

Most diesal cars
Good Made from vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled restaurant greases that are biodegradable. Reduces air pollutants signifcantly and engine modifications are simple. Plants such as oil-seed rape absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere before they are harvested to make the fuel. Easy to refuel the car - no special pumps are required.

Bad Ssome research suggests biodiesel increases emmissions of oxides of nitrogen and is more expensive than other alternative fuels, although cheaper than petrol. Smells of chip-fat.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

Most diesal and petrol cars
Good LPG, also known as propane, has no lead content. It produces fewer ozone-depleting emissions than petrol and provides similar performance and rante to conventional petrol engine. Already a by-product of crude oil distillation, LPG need no new industry to produce it.

Bad Shortage of LPG-enabled filling stations. Little or no reduction in carbon dioxide. Tax breaks that make it cheap may be cancelled.

Alcohol

Indy 500 Cars
Good American Indy cars run on pure ethanol (tyope of alcohol), because it gives a more uniform power then petrol. So-called flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) such as the Ford Taurus FFV have been designed to run on ethanel or petrol. Ethonal does not significantly reduce emissions at the point of use, but it does cut out the waste created when petrol is refined.

Bad More expensive petrol. Far from being a zero-emissions fuel.

Electric

Reva G-Whizz
Good Completely clean at poin of use. Low maintenance - engine tune-ups and oil changes are not needed. Can be charged from any 240V (or 110V) electricity source.


Bad The Weight of batteries leads to short range and low speed. Electiricty used to charge the battery is usually produced by fossil fuel being burnt in power stations.