Alternative Fuel Comparison Chart
Fuel Type Source Emissions Maintenance/ Refueling Safety Common use Fuel Costs Compressed Natural Gas drawn from gas wells or crude reduced emissions of CO, NO requires more frequent refueling narrow flammability range, light, medium and heavy duty costs 15 - 40% less than oil production and lower toxic and than gasoline leaks indoors may form vehicles gasoline carcinogenic pollutants flammable mixture Biodiesel liquid produced from depending on blend, reduces deposits may form on tank biodegradable, non-toxic, light, medium and heavy duty costs 30 - 40 cents more renewable sources such as emissions of CO, PM, HC, SO2; walls and cause fuel filter clogs; less flammable than diesel vehicles than gasoline vegetable oil, animal fats, and increases NO2 and no change may degrade certain rubber used oil and fats. in emissions of methane compounds over time
Electric Vehicles on-board rechargeable no pollution if not a hybrid no required oil changes or tune- batteries contain toxic light, medium and heavy duty average monthly electricity batteries power electric motor vehicle ups; lengthy process for components, must meet vehicles cost, $15 recharging battery same standards as conventional vehicles, safer than vehicle with a gas tank
Ethanol (E85) from corn and other crops, reduced emissions of CO, PM, special lubricants required, but less flammable than light, medium and heavy duty more expensive than wood or paper wastes NOx, SOx and VOCs fewer oil changes gasoline, non-toxic vehicles gasoline; prices comparable to gasoline when sold in the Midwest
Fischer-Tropsch technology that converts coal, reduces NO, HC, CO no significant differences no reported safety issues light, medium and heavy duty according to the California natural gas, and low-value emissions; no PM emissions versus petrodiesel fuels, based vehicles in Africa, South Energy Commission, costs refinery products into a high- on current research America can be 10 % more than value, clean burning fuel, a diesel fuel cleaner substitute for diesel fuel Fuel Cells uses chemical energy rather can achieve zero emissions being researched but some of the fuel cells can no vehicles available for sale no vehicles are currently than combustion to generate anticipating increased engine add too much weight which available electrical power by combining efficiency can make the vehicle hard hydrogen from fuel with to stop oxygen from the air Liquefied Natural Gas underground reserves produces half the PM of diesel longer life of engine, no need personnel must be trained used in heavy-duty fleet usually less than the cost vehicles; reduces NO and VOC, for periodic inspections because of the fuel's below operations of gasoline per mile and CO2 emissions as well as freezing temperatures toxic and carcinogenic pollutants; increase in methane emissions
Methanol produced from natural gas, lower NO and VOC emissions; requires special lubricants burns invisible and hard to race vehicles and others costs less than gasoline; and/or renewable sources potentially greater formaldehyde detect; personnel must be however, vehicle needs such as wood or waste paper emissions; no PM emissions trained to operate and more methanol to travel maintain vehicles the same distance as a gasoline powered vehicle Propane (Liquefied Petroleum by-product of petroleum potentially lower, toxic CO2, less corrosion and less engine low flammability but likely to light and medium duty comparable to gasoline; Gas) refining and natural gas CO, NMHC emissions wear ignite because it becomes a vehicles however, vehicle needs production gas so quickly more propane to travel the same distance as a gas powered vehicle
Hydrogen produced from steam few or no emissions (water more data needed from current more data needed from light and medium duty more data needed from reformation of natural gas, or vapor and a small amount of experiments current experiments vehicles current experiments electrolysis of water NOx) Abbreviations CO = carbon monoxide HC = hydrocarbons NO = nitrogen oxide NOx = nitrogen oxides SO2 = sulfur dioxide VOC = volatile organic compounds CO2 = carbon dioxide NMHC = non-methane NO2 = nitrogen dioxide PM = particulate matter SOx = sulfur oxides hydrocarbons
Prepared by the Maryland Department of the Environment, 6/2003 Page 1