This document provides information on various alternative fuels including ethanol, natural gas, propane, hydrogen, electricity, methanol, and biodiesel. Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel produced from starch crops or cellulosic biomass. Natural gas can be used as compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas. Propane is produced as a byproduct of natural gas processing and petroleum refining. Hydrogen can be produced from fossil fuels, nuclear, or renewable resources and used in fuel cells. Electricity can power hybrid or electric vehicles. Methanol is made from natural gas or renewable resources and used in fuel cells. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils, waste cooking oil, and can be blended with

1. ALTERNATIVE
FUEL
Presented By:
Prof.S.Sathishkumar
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Vel Tech ( Owned By RS Trust)
Avadi-Chennai-62
sathishkumar@veltechengg.com

2. Definition :
It is define an alternative fuel as a product that is substantially
nonpetroleum which yields energy security and environmental
benefits.

3. Introduction
The Energy Policy Act of 1993 (EPAct) currently recognizes the
following as alternative fuels:
• Mixtures containing 85% or more by volume of alcohol fuel, including
methanol and denatured ethanol Natural gas (compressed or liquefied)
• Liquefied petroleum gas (propane)
• Hydrogen
• Coal-derived liquid fuels

4. • Fuels derived from biological materials
• Electricity (including electricity from solar energy)
• 100% Biodiesel (B100)
• Pure biodiesel (B100) is considered an alternative fuel under EPAct.
But lower-level biodiesel blends are not considered alternative fuels

5. Characteristics of alternative fuels
Primary Main Liquid
Components Fuel or
Source Gas
Biodiesel Vegetable oil, Soybean oil Liquid
animal fats, or
recycled restaurant grease
Compressed Methane Under- Gas
Natural Gas ground
(CNG) reserves
Ethanol (E85) Denatured Corn, grains, or Liquid
ethanol and agricultural
gasoline waste
Liquefied Methane that Underground Liquid
Natural Gas is cooled reserves
(LNG) cryogenically
Liquefied Propane A by-product of Liquid
Petroleum petroleum
Gas (LPG) refining or
natural gas
processing
Methanol Methanol and Natural gas, Liquid
(M85) gasoline coal, or woody
biomass

6. Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Biodiesel(B20)
Compressed
Natural
Gas(CNG) Electricity Ethanol(E85)
Any vehicle that
runs on diesel today-
no modifications are
needed for up to 5%
blends. Many
engines also
compatible with up
to 20% blends.
Many types of
vehicle classes.
Neighborhood
electric vehicles,
bicycles, light-duty
vehicles, medium
and heavy-duty
trucks and buses.
Light-duty vehicles,
medium and heavy-
duty trucks and
buses - these vehicles
are flexible fuel
vehicles that can be
fueled with E85
(ethanol), gasoline,
or any combination
of the two fuels.

7. Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Hydrogen
Liquified Natural Gas
(LNG)
Liquified Petroleum
Gas (LPG)
Methanol (M85)
No vehicles are
available for
commercial sale
yet, but some
vehicles are being
leased for
demonstration
purposes.
Medium and heavy-duty
trucks and buses.
Light-duty vehicles,
which can be fueled
with propane or
gasoline, medium and
heavy-duty trucks and
buses that run on
propane.
Mostly Heavy-
duty buses are
available.

8. Ethanol
Ethanol Is An Alcohol-based Alternative Fuel Produced By Fermenting And
Distilling Starch Crops That Have Been Converted Into Simple Sugars. Feed
Stocks For This Fuel Include Corn, Barley, And Wheat.

9. Ethanol can also be produced
from "cellulosic biomass" such
as trees and grasses and is
called bio ethanol. Ethanol is
most commonly used to
increase octane and improve the
emissions quality of gasoline.

10. Natural Gas
Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons, mainly methane, and is
produced either from gas wells or in conjunction with crude oil
production. Natural gas is consumed in the residential, commercial,
industrial, and utility markets.
Natural gas can either be stored onboard a vehicle as compressed natural
gas (CNG) or as liquefied natural gas (LNG). Natural gas can also be
blended with hydrogen.

11. Natural Gas
The future holds great potential for natural gas because it can
potentially be used in fuel cell vehicles to make hydrogen.
Researchers found that fuel cell vehicles using hydrogen produced
from natural gas could present an attractive solution for cutting
greenhouse gas emissions.

12. Propane
Propane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a popular alternative fuel
choice for vehicles. Propane is produced as a by-product of natural gas
processing and petroleum refining so there is already an infrastructure
of pipelines, processing facilities, and storage for its efficient
distribution.

13. Hydrogen
The simplest and lightest fuel is hydrogen gas. Hydrogen may contain
low levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, depending on the
source.

14. Hydrogen
Hydrogen can be produced using diverse, domestic resources including
fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal, nuclear; and biomass and
other renewable energy technologies, such as wind, solar, geothermal,
and hydro-electric power.
Hydrogen will play an important role in developing sustainable
transportation in the United States, because in the future it may be
produced in virtually unlimited quantities using renewable resources.

15. Hydrogen
Hydrogen is being explored for use in combustion engines and fuel
cell electric vehicles. The energy density of hydrogen is very low
under ambient conditions which presents greater transportation and
storage hurdles than for liquid fuels. Storage systems are being
developed to address these problems.

16. HCNG
Natural Gas Vehicle Technology is supporting a project to develop
heavy-duty HCNG engines and transit buses. The HCNG (20%
hydrogen / 80% CNG) engines demonstrated lower emissions than
similar engines fueled by CNG alone. This blend provided no
significant change in fuel efficiency.

17. Electricity
Trucks with a hybrid-electric power
train combine a diesel engine and electric
motor to drive the vehicle. Batteries capture
and store energy providing a source of stored
electric power for the motor during future
acceleration.

18. ElectricityAll electrical charging of the battery is
provided by the hybrid electric power train,
and no external electrical infrastructure, such
as a power cord or electrical outlet, is needed.
The balance between conventional and electric
technology is an innovative method to improve
environmental performance and decrease fuel
use while eliminating the need for high
electrical-demand infrastructure costs.

19. Methanol
Methanol is produced from natural gas in
production plants with 60% total energy
efficiency. Methanol can be made with
any renewable resource containing
carbon such as seaweed, waste wood
and garbage. Methanol offers the
greatest hope for early and broad
introduction of fuel cells that will make
Electric Vehicles practical within the
next few years

20. Methanol
Whether reformed to provide hydrogen for
conventional fuel cells or used directly in
the latest liquid fed cells, methanol will
overcome the greatest remaining obstacle
to commercialization, by offering the only
economical way to transport and store the
hydrogen needed for fuel cells. Methanol
fuel cells will greatly reduce carbon
dioxide emissions for vehicles and
virtually eliminate Smog and particulate
pollution

21. Biodiesel
 Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with
petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-
ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications.
 Biodiesel can be used as a pure fuel or blended with petroleum in any
percentage. B20 (a blend of 20 percent by volume biodiesel with 80 percent
by volume petroleum diesel) has demonstrated significant environmental
benefits.

22. Biodiesel
Biodiesel is registered as a fuel and fuel additive with the EPA and meets clean
diesel standards established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Neat (100 percent) biodiesel has been designated as an alternative fuel by the
Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Department of Transportation
(DOT).

23. ***Wish You Happy Learning***