This document discusses the negative impacts of carbon-based fuels on human health and the environment. It notes that vehicle emissions contain pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter which can cause cancer, respiratory illnesses, and other health problems. These emissions also harm the environment by affecting plants, soil, water and air quality. The document then provides a brief history of laws passed in the United States to regulate vehicle emissions and encourage the development of alternative fuels to address these issues.

1. CARBON
BASED FUELS
AND THE
ENVIRONMENT
Why do we need Alternative
Fuels?

2. Negative impacts from carbon
based fuels on humans
 Most of the pollutants associated with vehicle
emissions have a negative impact on the
health of humans and animals. Some of these
emissions are poisonous, toxic, and can
interfere with breathing. Most of these
emissions are proven to cause cancer and
other serious illnesses.

3. Negative impacts from carbon
based fuels on the environment
 In addition to health affects, these emissions
also harm our environment such as plants,
soil, water and air. The poisonous chemicals
in emissions can affect the “ecological
balance” of our planet.

4. What are vehicle emissions?
 Vehicle emissions are pollutants released
directly into the air from vehicles. All vehicles
with a gasoline or diesel internal combustion
engine (ICE) produce vehicle emissions.
Name some sources of emissions from our vehicles?

5. Environmental protection agency
(EPA) identified vehicle pollutants
Emission Abbreviation
Carbon Monoxide CO
Carbon Dioxide CO2
Oxides of Nitrogen NOx
Oxides of Sulfur SOx
Hydrocarbons HC
Particulate Matter (soot) PM
NOTE: Ozone is a reactive pollutant created by a chemical
reaction in the atmosphere from the pollutants above, but is not
listed on the EPA’s pollutant table.

6. Carbon Monoxide
 CO is produced by the incomplete combustion of
fuels that contain carbon. Since petroleum is
mostly burned in ICEs, it is the primary source of
CO in the world today.
 CO is a chemical compound that contains one
atom of carbon and one atom of oxygen. It is
colorless, odorless, flammable, and poisonous. It
also interferes with the delivery of oxygen to the
body’s organs.

7. Carbon Dioxide
 One part Carbon and two parts Oxygen
(Dioxide)
 We inhale Oxygen and exhale Carbon
Dioxide
 Carbon Dioxide is a “Green house” Gas,
meaning it traps solar heat within our
atmosphere. It has a Global Warming
Potential (GWP) of 1.
NOTE: R-12 had a GWP of 8500, R-134a has a GWP of 1350. This is
Why we are switching freons again to HFO-1234YF which has a
GWP of 4. (but is flammable and can create hydrogen flouride
when burned. Hydrogen Flouride causes cellular damage called
necrosis…… YAY!

8. Oxides of Nitrogen
 Nitrogen combined with oxygen in a high heat
environment create oxides of nitrogen
 NOx facilitate the production of ground level
ozone. Which is a component of acid rain,
YAY again.
 It also can combine with HC, Sulfur Dioxide
SO2, and sunlight to create photochemical
smog.

9. Oxides of Sulfur
 A powdery solid crystal, that is an essential
element for all living things on earth and is a
component of most proteins.
 Highly reactive, so it combines readily with
many other elements such as oxygen.
 Combined with oxygen creates SO2 Sulfur
dioxide. Just like Nox can create “Acid Rain”
GREEN THUMB? Acid rain increases the acidity of our soil,
Damaging crops, animals, and people.

10. Hydrocarbons
 Any compound that contains Hydrogen and
Carbon such as Petroleum.
 Atmosphere pollution consist primarily of
unburned petroleum products such as vehicle
exhaust (incomplete burn) or evaporation of
fuels (evap)
 Combines with NOx to create SMOG

11. Particulate Matter
 Soot created by diesel engines
 Also known as “Rollin’ Coal”!
 PM is easily inhaled and the particles become
trapped in the tiny passages in our lungs.
Health effects include Asthma, Difficulty
breathing, and Chronic Bronchitis.
 Children are more vulnerable because of their
small lung passages, and they are exposed to
PM more often (school buses).
NOTE: Diesel engines were totally unregulated until1989!

12. Ozone (O3)
 Although not listed as a vehicle emission,
ozone is an additional pollutant created by the
chemical reaction of vehicle emissions in our
atmosphere.
 At the top of our atmosphere (10 to 30 miles),
ozone is a protective shield that reflects
ultraviolet radiation. But at ground level it
causes serious health problems.
NOTE: Ozone is also created by spark plugs gapping and lightning
storms. It also damages rubber and causes billions of dollars of
agricultural loss each year.

14. Carbon Footprint
 Total Carbon footprint includes energy-related
emissions from human activities, including
heat, light, power, refrigeration, and all
transport-related emissions from vehicles,
freight, and distribution.
Think about the “bigger picture” not just what comes out of
the tailpipe. What about production? Industrial? Off-gassing?

15. The U.S. Runs on Oil!
 United States has increased energy
consumption since 1956 by 259%!
 Changes in oil prices have a significant
impact on the U.S. economy.
 There is a finite amount of oil on the Earth.
When its gone its GONE!

16. Oil as a political weapon
 The use of oil as a political weapon is very
common in the world today. Oil is something
that Middle Eastern nations have and the rest
of the world needs.
 On October 1973, members of the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting
Countries declared an embargo of oil exports
to the United States for supporting Israel. The
result was high fuel prices.

17. Energy Security
 The U.S. dependence on imported oil has
profound effects on the country’s foreign
relations and defense policy.
 There is no readily available domestic supply
that meet the needs of current U.S.
consumption.

18. Energy Security
 There are only two obvious solutions:
-The United States could alter its
consumption of energy by changing out lifestyle
(not going to happen ) or,
-The United States could find alternative
sources of energy for our needs that are
currently being met by petroleum. (Bingo)

19. Energy Security
 Dependence on foreign oil weakens the
country’s energy security and puts the nation
at risk.
 Our goal should be to obtain a safe,
dependable, sustainable, supply of energy
that is not affected by factors outside our
country.

20. Brief history of pollution laws
 At the end of WWII, the United States was the
GREATEST economic and military force on
Earth. After decades of economic depression,
and six years of war, the demand for
consumer goods, housing and transportation
exploded in an economic boom.

21. Brief history of pollution laws
 The availability and affordability of personal
transportation made it possible for workers to
live farther than ever before from work (enter
suburbs).
 During President Eisenhower’s term,
Congress passed the national interstate and
defense highways act of 1956, based on the
recommendations of Eisenhower.

22. Brief history of pollution laws
 The Act was a thirty-five-year program of
interstate highway construction to mirror what
Eisenhower saw in European countries as a
General. Due to its resistance from an aerial
attack, It was built as a defense system to
transport troops and supplies if we were ever
attacked.

23. Brief history of pollution laws
 This highway network called “Eisenhower
Interstate System” has made the United
States very mobile and unfortunately has
brought a great deal of environmental
pollution from the millions of vehicles that use
it everyday.

24. Pollution laws
 In 1955, the U.S. Congress passed the first
Federal law on this matter called “Air Pollution
Control Act”. The Act’s stated purpose was to
provide research and technical assistance
relating to air pollution control.
 This was the first time the Federal
Government acknowledged our air quality
problems.

25. Pollution laws
 Clean air act of 1963 allocated $95 Million
over a period of three years for state and local
governments to conduct research and initiate
control programs that prevented air pollution.

26. Pollution laws
 Motor vehicle air pollution control act of 1965
established the first nationwide emissions
standards, which went into effect in 1968
(adopting the standards of California from
1966 on)
 It also funded research into the effects of
pollution from U.S. vehicles.

27. Pollution laws
 Air quality Act of 1967 amended the act of
1963 by two significant improvements:
-They mandated nationwide
measurement of air quality
-They required the states to prove that
they were taking action to address
the problems.

28. Pollution laws
 Clean Air Act of 1970 was a complete rewrite
of the Act of 1963. It set up the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards.
 Required compliance no later than December
31, 1982.
 First Federal law to set strict vehicle exhaust
levels, including HC, CO, and NOx.
 Required leaded gasoline be phased out by
the mid 1980’s.

29. Pollution laws
 Clean Air Act of 1977 sets up “New Source
Review” which requires older industrial
facilities that want to expand, to undergo an
EPA assessment and install pollution control
technologies
 lead in gasoline dropped by 50 percent,
resulting in a 37 percent reduction of blood-
lead levels in children.

30. Pollution laws
 Alternative motor fuels act of 1988 requests
the government to obtain the “maximum
practicable” number of light-duty alcohol and
natural gas vehicles for the federal fleet.
 It also set up an interagency commission on
alternative motor fuels in order to create a
national alternative fuels policy.

31. Pollution laws
 Clean air act amendments of 1990 set higher
standards for vehicle emissions and set up
protections for our ozone layer.
 It also can withhold federal funds from states
that have not met the criteria.
 It provides manufactures with Corporate
Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) incentives to
develop alternatively-fueled vehicles. Gave
EPA power to enforce regulations such as:

32. Pollution laws
 The energy policy act of 1992 was passed for
the stated purpose of accelerating the use of
alternative fuels by requiring the department
of energy to:
- Decrease the nation’s dependence on
foreign oil.
- Increase energy security through the use of
domestically produced alternative fuels.

33. Pollution laws
 The DOE’s initial mission was to replace:
- Ten percent of petroleum-based motor fuels
by 2000
- Thirty percent of petroleum-based motor fuels
by 2010

34. Pollution laws
 In 1991 President Bush signed on executive
order to provide early federal leadership on
acquiring the use of several alternatively-
fueled vehicles by the government between
the years 1993-1997.

35. Pollution laws
 In 1993 President Clinton signed an executive
order increasing the number of alternative
fueled vehicles to be acquired by the
executive order signed by previous President
George Bush.

36. Encouraging the use of
Alternative fuels
 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
came out of the clean air act of 1970 by
President Nixon.
 EPA develops and enforces regulations that
implement environmental laws enacted by
Congress.
 EPA has the responsibility for researching and
setting national standards.

37. Encouraging the use of
Alternative Fuels
 There are several standards and ratings that
can be given to vehicles, and a certain
percentage of a manufacture’s vehicles must
meet different levels in order for the company
to sell its products in the affected regions.
(Direct result of the Clean Air Act of 1990)

38. Federal Emission Standards
 Tier one federal emissions standards, which
regulated the emissions of HC, NOx, and PM
for all vehicles sold between 1994 and 2004.
 Tier two federal emissions standards, which
are much more stringent than tier one and
became effective with the 2004 model year.
Rated by “Bin #” between 1 and 11. 1 being
the cleanest.

39. California Emission Standards
 California air resource board (CARB) has the
strictest standards, known as Low Emission
Vehicle (LEV Pre-2004). After model year
2004 they were known as
LEV-II with a rating system as follows:

40. Encouraging the use of
Alternative Fuels
 Low Emissions Vehicle (LEV)
- This is the least demanding standard, but it is
about twice as stringent as the EPA pre-1994
Tier one standards. They are equivalent to
today’s Tier two Bin 5.

41. Encouraging the use of
Alternative Fuels
 Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV)
- This vehicle achieves a 50 percent reduction
in emissions over a post 1994, Federal Tier one
vehicle.

42. Encouraging the use of
Alternative Fuels
 Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV)
- This standard establishes extremely stringent
levels of NOx, emissions over ULEV’s. SULEV’s
are a bout 90 percent cleaner than the Federal
Tier one vehicle standard.

43. Encouraging the use of
Alternative Fuels
 Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV)
- This vehicle meets the SULEV standard and
also produces near zero evaporative emissions.
It must include a 15 year/150,000 mile warranty
on its emission control systems. (awesome for
owner….not for flat rate tech )

44. Encouraging the use of
Alternative Fuels
 Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions
Vehicle (AT-PZEV)
- This is any vehicle that meets all of the PZEV
standards and also includes advanced
technologies such as a hybrid drive.

45. Encouraging the use of
Alternative Fuels
 Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV)
- A vehicle with no tailpipe emissions. This
classification is currently available only to
battery-powered electric vehicles and vehicles
powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

46. Speaking of TESLA

47. National Low Emission Vehicle
Program (NLEV)
 NLEV targets ozone creation by calling for
severe reductions in total emissions of NOx
(70 percent) and HC’s (50 percent). Rather
than certifying individual vehicles, the
program is aimed at fleet averages.
 In addition, NLEV set up a system that allows
OEM’s to “trade” emission credits among
themselves. (Enter Tesla)

48. Tesla loses money on every
model S sold? What!
 Yes its true, Tesla actually reported last
quarter, that they lost $8K on each model S
sold.
 Tesla is in the business of selling “Green
Indulgences” and Carbon Credits.
 Honda shelled out $68 Million dollars last
quarter for zero emission, plug in, credits.

49. So, pick your reason
Either because of environmental pollution or
less dependency on foreign energy sources, our
country NEEDS to change our oil consumption
habit. A major solution to this problem is through
the use of alternatively-fueled vehicles….but
what is an alternatively-fueled vehicle?

50. Alternative Fuels overview
 Propane- a form of petroleum also known as
liquefied petroleum gas, LP gas, autogas, or
LPG.
 Natural Gas- a fuel that comes in two forms:
compressed to a high pressure or liquefied
and chilled into a cryogenic liquid. Contains a
high concentration of Methane.

51. Alternative Fuels overview
 Ethanol- an alcohol fuel made from crops
(generally corn and sugar cane). It can be
used alone or blended with gasoline (flexfuel).
Conventional Ice’s can run on 10% ethanol,
while flex fuel vehicles can run on 85% (E85).
 How do you tell if a vehicle is a FlexFuel?

52. Alternative Fuels overview
 Methanol- another alcohol fuel, but made
from wood. Like ethanol, it can be used alone
or blended with gasoline. It is extremely
poisonous and is considered an
environmental hazard.
 What vehicle uses Methanol?

53. Alternative Fuels overview
 Methanol- another alcohol fuel, but made
from wood. Like ethanol, it can be used alone
or blended with gasoline. It is extremely
poisonous and is considered an
environmental hazard.
 What vehicle uses Methanol?

54. Alternative Fuels overview
 Biodiesel- a fuel that can be burned only in
diesel vehicles. Biodiesel is made from plant
oils (soybean, sunflower, peanut, and canola)
or animal fats. Conventional Diesel vehicles
can run on anything from 2% to 100% (The
new Ford 6.7 is rated at B20, or 20%
biodiesel).

55. Alternative Fuels overview
 Renewable diesel- The new kid on the block,
also known as Biodiesel part duex.
 Mostly the same as Biodiesel, but reacted
with Hydrogen instead of Methanol (also has
no oxygen so less reactive)
 RD meets the standards of both ASTM D396
and ASTM D975 fuel oil specifications.

56. Alternative Fuels overview
 Renewable Diesel derived from domestic
biological materials is considered an
alternative fuel under the Energy Policy act of
1992.

57. Alternative Fuels overview
 Battery-powered electric vehicles- cars with
electric motors (no ICE or Fuel Cell) and
rechargeable batteries. The batteries are
recharged by plugging the vehicle into the
electrical grid (public utility network).

58. Alternative Fuels overview
 Hybrid electric vehicle- cars that use an ICE
or a fuel cell in conjunction with one or more
electric motors and a rechargeable battery.
The battery is recharged internally by the
engine or the fuel cell.

59. Alternative Fuels overview
 Hydrogen- a fuel that can be burned in an
ICE or chemically reacted in a fuel cell. The
vehicle must be able to accommodate a high-
pressure storage tank or have a means of
producing hydrogen.

60. Fuel Cell powered car in
action!!!!

61. Fuel Cell Exhaust!

62. Finished!