1. Electricity- Electricity can be used to power vehicles directly from the power grid, this alternative will produce Zero emissions. However, this alternative is for short range travel, and solar electricity is bulky with batteries installed within the vehicle.

2. Hydrogen- this is an element which is the most common to be found within the universe. This kind of fuel can be produced by electrolyzing water to separate the two elements found in water, and to be distributed as fuel. Moreover, hydrogen can revolutionize the fuel industry since it has Zero carbon emissions, at which it will only produce a water by-product, and will only require a hydrogen fuel cell.

3. Natural Gas- This is a domestically Produced alternative fuel, commonly produced by gas companies. It has a lot fewer emissions, and less dangerous compared to Fossil Fuel. However, this fuel will require a Natural gas vehicle (NGV) to work, and this still produce some carbon emissions.

4. Biodiesel- This fuel is all natural made from Vegetable oil or oil from cultures algae. This fuel can be used in pure for diesel engines but the transition from diesel to biofuel will clog the filter if done quickly. This is a cost effective fuel; it will only require a diesel engine vehicle.

5. Propane- Most commonly known as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). This has the lowest flammability range amongst the alternative fuels found. However, this fuel still is petrol and will produce emissions.

Another mixture of the Ethanol will be the E-15; this contains 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline, and the maximum amount of ethanol that most of the car manufacturers recommend, though it is possible that one can get higher percentages without any problems.

A mixture of E-20 is common in Thailand with tax reductions. The E-20 fuel is for the usage of E-20 engines.

The 6th mix kind of mixture is most commonly used in Brazil-The E-25, 25% Ethanol, 75% Gasoline. The Flexible-fuel vehicles (FFV), which are deigned to take higher concentrations of Ethanol, will require this kind of fuel alongside with the E-20,

The E-85, with an octane rating of 105 is the highest ethanol concentration found within the US. In the US, the E-85 does not necessarily contain exactly 85% ethanol because of the cold climate during winter. A small amount of gasoline will be required for the engine to start.

The E-95 contains 95% ethanol with 5% ignition improver. As opposed to the gasoline engine, the diesel engine that uses this fuel uses the power of compression to ignite the high-temperature E-95 Fuel.

The last is the E-100 which is the highest concentration achieved with 4% water, most commonly used in Brazil and Argentina. This fuel is also known as Hydrated Ethanol, which at temperatures below 15 degrees will require gasoline to ignite within the engine.

The increase in the production of Ethanol will result in a variety of problems. An increase in the pressure of drinking water supplies is definitely expected in great quantities since the plantation of corn crops will requite a lot of drinking water, and pesticides. Another caused problem is the usage of mass land quantities, where the plantation will require hectares of land to be used.

The last problem is that ethanol when used as an additive to replace methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) for the boat. A report was raised to the Boat Owners Association of the United States that when Ethanol is mixed with MTBE formulations, gunk builds up in the gas tank. And until now, Ethanol has been incurring problems in various ways.

Ever since April 2, 2006, 85% of Hawaii’s gasoline has been E-10, which is now a normal component of today’s gasoline, and Since Ethanol is cost effective, Hawaii has been looking for reliable fuel supplies that are essential to the economy, where now, it can be possible to convert plant from being powered by fossil fuel into now being powered by Ethanol, while providing support to the local agricultural sector; and since Ethanol is financially viable, it has diverse sources ranging from feed stocks, including molasses, food waste, yard and wood wastes.

Ethanol is not only used as fuel in Hawaii but also used as feedstock, with a base chemical for other organic compounds; as an antiseptic, which is used in wipes for antibacterial purposes with a concentration of 62% by weight; as an antidote for poisoning by some other toxic alcohols; and lastly as some other purposes such as marker inks.

For the rest of us, we are still working with ethanol blended fuel.  The blends can be small (7% or so) or relatively large (20% or higher).  This mixture is used mostly for two reasons.  First, mixing ethanol with traditional gasoline lowers the overall price of the gas for the consumer, and helps to maximize profits for the retailer and supplier.  Another reason we will see ethanol mixtures is because it helps to keep cleaner burning fuel.  In California, for example, the ethanol content of most gases is more than it is in South Carolina.  A third reason we see different ethanol fuel mixtures is a way of test marketing and testing capabilities and effects.  There is only so much we can tell in laboratories and on test tracks.  By unleashing different mixtures after testing but only to localized regions, we can better see the effects of the mixture which helps to modify future plans.

Since about 1999, most common vehicles made have been manufactured to be dual-fuel vehicles.  These are vehicles with engines capable of burning fuels that have 0% ethanol content all the way to 100% ethanol content without modification.  With most of these engines, however, we see that ethanol and ethanol blended fuels can affect efficiency of the fuel.  A gasoline with a 10% ethanol content usually has approximately a 2-3% reduction in performance.  Higher bases, such as E85 (or 85% ethanol) show a severe difference in performance, 20-25% reduction.  Pure ethanol shows up to a 34% decline in performance.  Tests have shown engines designed to work purely with ethanol, however, will get better performance than dual-fuel engines.

Ethanol fuel is an excellent source of alternative energy for a variety of reasons.  Ethanol, by and in large, burns cleaner than gasoline and other forms of fuel.  As such, this lends to ethanol fuel’s appeal, particularly with the recent push for Green energy.  Furthermore, ethanol is easy to manufacture.  It is a byproduct from such crops as grain and corn.  This means that ethanol can be produced in most regions where there is properly fertile soil.  From dry climates to wet, farms can easily produce corn, grain, and other ethanol producing crops en masse.  Some forms of ethanol are mixed with gasoline, to lessen the reliance upon crude oil.  This is actually common practice, with only a small percentage of gas for vehicle—somewhere between 7 and 23%–all the way up to one hundred percent ethanol or E100.

The majority of ethanol produced today is from fermenting starch or sugar crops.  This brings us what is known as bio-fuel.  Other forms of ethanol can be made from petroleum and other natural resources.  The predominant argument against replacing current fossil fuels with bio-fuel ethanol is the large amount or land that would be needed for the crops.  There have been a number of recent developments that would do away with such fears.  These steps forward resolve around companies that produce a large amount of bio-mass byproducts to convert that into ethanol.  This is called cellulosic ethanol commercialization.

Ethanol fuel is already used around the world in varying degrees.  In North America, ethanol is already contained in most gasoline to lower the overall cost.  In Brazil, the majority of vehicles run on bio-ethanol.  As the economy grows more bleak, we continue to see more demand, which will lead to more widespread use of alternative fuels and those such as ethanol are already at the top of the list.

Another reason people shy away from ethanol fuel is that the current economics have oil companies at the top—and, this is due largely to the requirements of fossil fuels in today’s market.  By changing this, making fossil fuels ineffective, it is unclear what the turmoil would do to an already unstable global economy.  At the same time, one must consider that—in the current state of affairs, the economy is not going well for anyone other than the oil companies, a drastic changing of the guard might be just what we need.

Finally, people have a habit of advancing inb technologies and methods slowly.  Even in today’s rapidly advancing world, there are a lot of people who do not like to change.  The Internet was readily available in the 80s, but it wasn’t a household word or product until the mid 90s.  How long did people carry around brick car phones?  Compare that today to the miniature mainframes people use to talk on.  People are slow to accept a new technology, but that really is not a reason to stop us from doing so.

Overall, ethanol fuel alternatives have proven to be a more than worthwhile investment.  The product burns cleaner than fossil fuels.  We have a big kick nowadays to do better for the environment and ethanol fits right into that.  Ethanol also comes from a renewable source—crops grown such as sugar cane and corn—this allows us to have a constantly available source for fuel rather that ultimately limited fossil fuels.  Recent studies, including those conducting by prestigious MIT, show that ethanol fuel can prove to be more effective than fossil fuels or the mixing of ethanol with gasoline.

Really, when it comes down to it, the question of whether ethanol fuel is better or worse all comes down to change.  It is easier to produce, more efficient than current fuels (including hybrid engines), and better for the environment.  The only major downside is the series of retooling and outfitting for the new systems.  This should be a minor downside, though, when we consider the great benefits ethanol fuel has to offer.

Studies have shown, however, that engines produced specifically to take advantage of the ethanol fuel options available, particularly E100 (or, 100% ethanol fuel) would surpass the current efficiency seen in most vehicles today.  With natural resources depleting and costs on the upswing with no sight of stopping or coming back down, private organizations, car manufacturers, and governments are racing to come up with a solution for tomorrow.  Ethanol fuel is at the top of the list, and keeping this in mind could help you determine which gas burning vehicle should be your next.

Like with any new car purchase, the time invested in investigating your options is certain to pay off by the time it’s time to sign those papers, hand over the cash, and get your new keys.  You will, of course, want to keep the usual things in mind.  How safe is the car?  What is its rated MPG?  Do you need a 2 door, 4 door, van, or work truck?  What options such as DVD players, power steering/windows, storage capacity, etc., are available?  And, there is always that questions of MPG.  When shopping for a vehicle that is more compatible with ethanol fuels, though, it could take a bit more digging, especially in these early stages of the technology.  There are a variety of places for you to get reliable information.  The Internet is always an option, providing you with information on everything from the latest in movies and music, to the history of Sumer.  Check the manufacturer’s website, reviews and blogs.  Always, ask the car dealership.  The question isn’t as common yet, so it might take them time to dig up your answer.  The truth is, some engines just burn better with ethanol than others.  Since it’s still a relatively overlooked power source, ethanol fuel burning engines have a long way to go before they are overly competitive or common place, but the idea to plan ahead is always a good one.

On the slip side, we have to consider adding ethanol fuel into the mix is cheaper than traditional fossil fuels.  If the trend continues, the oil companies will see a decrease in profits, which could lead to higher or lower prices of fuel, pending on the decisions made within that industry.  With ethanol fuel use on the rise, it means we’re going to see major economic turmoil with a changing of the guard, as oil companies may no longer be some of the richest companies in the world.  Still, with a switch over to more ethanol fuel based products, we’re faced with the up and downsides of switching over.  Engines and machinery will need to be replaced or retooled.  This is good for the companies that will make the new equipment or make the old equipment work with the new, but that’s  a major cost to the companies that will need to switch over.  So, we won’t be seeing such a change happen all at once, overnight.  It will be long and arduous, and we will most likely take awhile to even notice it. Engineers and mechanics will need to adapt and learn both technologies, which leads to a rise in need for individuals trained in this field.  While people are clamoring to learn and excel within the new field, we may see other fields decline, as those same individuals will not go into them.  This same issue, it is said, is what caused such a demand for medical professionals today, as so many in previous years had decided instead of medical or science fields to go into computers.

Any major change like this is going to have major economic shifts with it.  The world today is so entwined and complicated, the bankers and politicians of yesteryear must defer to a new way of doing things.  The economics of the situation are paramount.  Can we handle the change?  Not yet, the global economy would be in total disaster.  The fact remains, we will need to make these changes to continue with current lifestyles trends.  If we cannot make and accept the changes, and adapt along with them, including such possibilities as ethanol fuel, things will only continue to get worse.