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Alternative Fuel
Vehicles
National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
Alternative fuels include ethanol,
methanol, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, electricity, and any
other fuel or energy source that is not produced from petroleum. Alternative
fuel vehicles (AFVs) can be passenger cars or trucks (light-duty vehicles),
heavy-duty trucks, or buses that have been designed or modified to operate on
alternative fuels.
ADVANTAGES
Only 13% market penetration for AFVs in the
year 2010 could save 3.5 quads of energy by that year. This equals about 15%
of the total energy used by the transportation sector or the total amount of
energy used by Illinois. Widespread AFV use will reduce atmospheric
pollutants, stimulate job creation, and strengthen domestic energy security.
Federal tests showed that AFVs compare favorably to conventional vehicles in
terms of fuel economy and generally produce fewer harmful emissions than
gasoline counterparts.
CURRENT USE
About 275,000 AFVs were running on American
roads at the end of 1993; these are nearly all federal or private fleet
vehicles. Most AFVs are powered by liquefied petroleum gas, followed by
compressed natural gas, and next, by a blend of 85% gasoline and 15% methanol,
also known as M85. Through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the federal
government is leading the drive to increase the number of AFVs on road.
PROJECTED USE
The federal Energy Information
Administration projects that there will be 2.5 million AFVs on the nation's
highways by 2010. AFV use is continuing to increase; for example, an executive
order signed by President Clinton in 1993 requires that 75% of the vehicles
acquired by the federal fleet by 1999 be AFVs.
OPPORTUNITIES
An important piece of legislation, The
Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988, is spurring America's adoption of AFVs.
This legislation directed DOE to work with other agencies to promote the
development and widespread use of alternative fuels, thus propelling AFVs
toward commercial application and consumer acceptance. Another crucial piece
of federal legislation, The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, requires
modified gasoline content and established stricter emissions regulations for
vehicles in designated ozone nonattainment regions of the country. The Energy
Policy Act of 1992 requires that federal, state, and local governments,
alternative fuel providers, and private fleets buy AFVs in increasing
percentages over time. This act also includes tax incentives for buying AFVs
and developing retail service stations.
CHALLENGES
DOE is working on infrastructure
development, cost reduction, and vehicle range improvements to achieve
consumer acceptance.
DOE PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES
The Clean Cities Program: Aims to
establish a self-sustaining AFV infrastructure by involving federal, state,
and local governments; fuel suppliers; vehicle manufacturers; consumers; fleet
managers; utilities; and environmental groups. The California Pilot
Program: Sets nonmethane hydrocarbon emission standards for California
fleet vehicles beginning in model year 1996. California will have to acquire
150,000 "clean" vehicles by that year. The Clean-Fuel Fleet
Program: Requires one-third of the acquisitions by centrally fueled fleets
to use clean fuels and meet more stringent tailpipe standards by 1998. The
National Alternative Fuels Hotline/Alternative Fuels Data Center: Establishes
a centralized hotline number for nationwide AFV information (1-800-423-1DOE).
REFERENCES
OTFA Program-Related Facts, Internal
paper, Office of Technical and Financial Assistance, DOE, September 1991. Alternatives
to Traditional Transportation Fuels: An Overview, DOE, Energy Information
Administration, Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels, June
1994.
Footnotes
1. This document is
Contract DE-AC36-83CH10093, a series of the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. 2. The
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is managed and operated by Midwest
Research Institute for the United States Department of Energy. NREL-authored
documents are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract
DE-AC36-83CH10093. Reference herein to any specific commercial products,
process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does
not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring
by the United States Government or Midwest Research Institute. The views and
opinions of authors expressed in the available or referenced documents do not
necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or Midwest
Research Institute.
Florida Cooperative Extension Service /
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences / University of Florida / Christine
Taylor Waddill, Dean
Disclaimer
The use of trade names in this publication is
solely for the purpose of providing specific information. UF/IFAS does not
guarantee or warranty the products named, and references to them in this
publication does not signify our approval to the exclusion of other products of
suitable composition.
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