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The effect of hybrid vehicles on the environment
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Our Air is Our Future! Hydrogen? The latest craze these days is hybrid cars. People are looking for alternatives to their gas-guzzlers and are opting for more fuel-efficient vehicles. With the rise of gasoline prices and the ever-increasing dependence on foreign oil, something has to be done, and quick! At last, we may have finally found a solution, the hydrogen car! Will it surpass the electric and battery cars we have today? In his first term President Bush proposed $1.2 billion in research funding for hydrogen-powered automobiles. He called on Americans for their support, saying "Join me in this important innovation to make our air significantly cleaner, and our country much less dependent on foreign sources of energy." (Howstuffworks.com) A hydrogen car, also known as a FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) is powered by a fuel cell. A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel, hydrogen, into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen. (en.wikipedia.org). The fuel cell generates electricity by splitting the electrons from the protons from the hydrogen. The ionized hydrogen atoms then combine with oxygen to form water. A result of this of this process is heat, so the ‘exhaust’ is steam! (Fueleconomy.gov) AP Photo/Richard DrewHydrogen cars are environmentally friendly, emit no greenhouse gas emissions or air pollutants, and help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. (How Stuff Works). Like me, however, most people want to see numbers! Currently, hydrogen is $5.00/kg. Vehicles in production thus far hold between two and four kg. The goal in mind, once things level off some, is that the FCV will provide the same or better mileage for our dollar than that of gasoline. This all sounds extraordinary, but... ... middle of paper ... ...ll Restoring Funding for Hydrogen Car Research."Washington Post. The Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2009. Web. 05 Mar. 2014. "How Fuel Cells Work." How Fuel Cells Work. USA.gov, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Barry, Keith. "A Hydrogen Highway for the East Coast." Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 25 Jan. 0010. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Singh, Timon. "Italy to Install Solar Hydrogen Fuel Pumps at Gas Stations | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building." Inhabitat Sustainable Design Innovation Eco Architecture Green Building Italy to Install Solar Hydrogen Fuel Pumps at Gas Stations Comments. Inhabitat, LLC, 26 Aug. 2010. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. SunHydro. "The New Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure: Filling Stations At Quick Lube Shops | Fast Company | Business + Innovation." Fast Company. Fast Company & Inc © 2014 Mansueto Ventures, LLC., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Increasing environmental awareness, coupled with a responsible American government and improved technology, have all contributed to the comeback of low-and zero-emissions vehicles in the US. It remains to be seen whether the automakers and oil companies will once again work to halt this progress, or embrace it as the technology of a more responsible future.
4. Exhaust: After the Air/Fuel mix has been burnt, the remaining chemicals in the cylinder (water and CO2 for the most part) must be removed so that fresh air can be brought in. As the piston goes back up after combustion, the exhaust valve opens allowing the exhaust gasses to be released. Ideally an engine takes in air (oxygen and nitrogen) and fuel (hydrocarbons) and produces CO2, H2O, and the N2 just passes through.
"Miller Center." Address to the Nation on Energy (April 18, 1977)-. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.
The main reason people have not converted to cleaner, healthier fuel is that hybrid and electric cars are more expensive than the cars and gasoline we are using now. However, we could implement a program for selling cleaner fuel at a lower cost than it is now offered. If this program were organized correctly, the increased costs would be minimal in the long run and the benefits would be enormous. After considering several possibilities, I concluded that alcohol-burning cars are more practical than other environmentally friendly options because electric and hybrid cars or cars that run on natural gas are more expensive and are less convenient to refuel.
For over 100 years, the automobile industry has relied on gasoline as its main source of fuel. Gasoline is a colorless, highly flammable substance used in internal combustion engines. It is a fossil fuel made from crude oil, a natural gas formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals (Webster‘s Dictionary). Gasoline has positively influenced our way of life by providing convenient, on demand transportation. It has created a global economy that moves people and goods faster and more easily than ever imagined (Povey 12). Although a seemingly perfect substance, it has unprecedented flaws. The tremendous political, environmental, and economic problems resultant from the excessive use of gasoline leads to the conclusion that the automobile industry should not continue to rely on this source of fuel.
The purpose of this paper is to review the Department of Energy's (DOE) programs and recommend future directions for US policy to address President Obama's desire to save our planet from climate change and reduce reliance on oil (Roberts, Lassiter, & Nanda, 2010, p 4). The context of this review is following the 2008 election of President Obama and the enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) in February 2009. This paper will evaluate the effectiveness of the measures implemented by the Act and compare their effectiveness with an alternative strategy of implementing a carbon tax, then make a recommendation on which strategy would have achieved the President's aims in view of the political, economic and environmental situation that he faced.
... middle of paper ... ... Due to the recent economic struggles in the U.S., it is important that we maintain economic competitiveness with other countries. Instead of importing oil, the U.S. should invest in clean-energy technology innovation, which would boost growth and create jobs.
Most American cars are not hybrids or fuel-efficient, they are usually big SUV’s or trucks that get eighteen to ten miles per gallon. Most of Hondas, Toyotas, and Hyundai’s get around 20 to 30 miles per gallon, and hybrids get 50 miles per gallon. Peoples demand fuel-efficient cars because oil is i...
With a gasoline-fueled vehicle, buying gas to operate your car is a never-ending process. With the high price change of gasoline and oil, operating a gasoline-fueled vehicle tends to be very costly. While there are some types of small gasoline vehicles that get much better gas mileage than larger vehicles, even the most powerful gasoline cars will normally desire a contribution every month. According to some experts the only way a mainstream market for green vehicles wills materlize is with a pronounced and prolonged rise in fuel prices. (Buss, 4)
...tory of Ford Motor. Now at the present time Ford can create another blue ocean by working hard on full electric vehicle as their new innovation.
There are two configurations for hybrid cars. The first configuration uses gasoline engine to run a generator. The generator supplies electricity to the motor, which drives the wheels, which allows the gasoline engine to run constantly while achieving optimum fuel efficiency. This thereby minimizes emissions owing to incomplete combustion. A hybrid car with parallel configurations uses both an engine and a motor to drive the wheels depending on driving conditions. "A hybrid car is an automotive equipped with two or more sources of motive energy" (http://www.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car1.htm).
Hart, David. " Hydrogen: A Truly Sustainable Transport Fuel?" Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 1.3 (2003): 138-45. Web. Kühne, Reinhart. "
In an age where our dependence on fossil fuels and other expendable resources is dramatically increasing as our supply is decreasing, it is imperative that new forms of energy arise. Although it is still in very early stages, it is fundamentally plausible that hydrogen could become a major fuel source in cars. For example, Honda has already released five hydrogen fuel cell cars.
Vehicles in this day and time are nothing like what they used to be. Over half of the car manufacturers are now trying to build new cars and trucks to be as fuel efficient as they can be. Although hybrids conserve more gas than standard vehicles do, they use gas, also. Hybrids do not use as much gas as the ol...
Hydrogen would be one of the easiest sources of renewable energy to incorporate into our current energy infrastructure. Since hydrogen is a gas of normal temperature, it is possible to have it be used as a fuel in vehicles similar to current ones. For example, Hydrogen could be introduced into the vehicle as a gas, stored...