Using Alternative Fuels

What are direct methanol fuel cells? Direct methanol fuel cells are a subcategory of proton-exchange fuel cells where the alternative fuel called methanol is not reformed but fed directly to the fuel cell.

Because the methanol is fed directly into the fuel cell, complicated catalytic reforming is unneeded and storage of methanol is much easier than that of hydrogen because it does not need to be done at high pressures or low temperature because methanol is a liquid. Basically that means that a direct methanol fuel cell doesn’t require the complicated process that is required of gasoline, and that is a good thing!

Because of the energy density of methanol, the amount of energy released by using a given volume of methanol is in orders of magnitude greater than even highly compressed hydrogen. So having a direct methanol fuel cell can help bypass all of the procedures that are found in gasoline engines making an alternative fuel vehicle much more efficient when it is running on methanol.

On the other hand, the efficiency of direct methanol fuel cells is low due to the high permeation of methanol through the membrane of the fuel cell. This is known as methanol crossover and the dynamic behavior is sluggish. Other problems include the management of carbon dioxide that is evolved at the anode.

At the current level of the technology, direct methanol fuel cells are limited in the power that they can produce. However, they can still store much more energy in a smaller space. That means they can produce a small amount of power over a long period of time. This makes them ill-suited for powering vehicles but ideal for consumer goods like mobile phones, digital cameras, and laptops.

Another issue with a direct methanol fuel cell has to do with methanol’s chemical properties. It is toxic and flammable. But there are exceptions to be made. Because direct methanol fuel cells are allowed on airplanes to power laptop computers along with other consumer electronic devices, they can also be fought for to power vehicles as well.

Yes, it does seem complicated when we start throwing around complex phrases such as direct methanol fuel cell. But the reality is that these types of batteries and power sources are being used everyday to power small appliances with a minimum of environmental damage. The technology should be transferrable to power cars.

We often think of automobile fuel as simple gasoline that you can pump from any gas station, but there are alternative fuel sources for automobiles other than gasoline. Technology and research have found that you can power an automobile with all kinds of different fuel sources as an alternative to gasoline. And these alternative fuel sources are great for the environment as well.

For example, electric cars have been around for centuries. It’s true! In the 1900’s, there were more electric cars on the road than gasoline powered ones. With gas companies developing new and cheaper ways to produce gasoline, however, the gas powered automobiles soon became the main mode of transportation for people.

Then we had a gas shortage in the 1970’s and that prompted researchers to look for an alternative fuel source to power our automobiles. Right now, in modern day America, gas prices have risen dramatically to the point where it is almost difficult for people to travel because it costs so much to fill up their cars.

Luckily, technology is such that we not only have alternative fuel sources, but we also have alternative fuel automobiles as well. These automobiles run on fuels such as propane, hydrogen, ethanol, and even vegetable oil! They cause little to no harm to the environment because they have very few to no emissions at all so no harmful chemicals are released into the air.

As technology progresses and more ways are found to produce alternative fuels cheaply, we think that the automobile industry itself will wholeheartedly embrace alternative fuel sources and begin producing more and more vehicles to meet customer needs and wants.

Right now, there are some great hybrid vehicles that are available for sale. These automobiles can run on alternative fuel or use gasoline as their main source of power. While not completely “green”, they are a step in the right direction when it comes to making our world a cleaner place and helping to save the environment.

Alternative fuel sources for our automobiles are being developed and perfected every day as companies along with the United States Government strive to help our world as well as our pocketbooks. The development of alternative fuel sources in the automobile industry will continue to be honed to perfection and we could very well be seeing alternative fuels cost less than gasoline. That would be a welcome relief, don’t you think?

When it comes to alternative fuels, General Motors Company, or GMC has proven to be an industry leader when it comes to developing alternative fuel vehicles and pushing for more and more people to switch over to alternative fuels. They have more hybrid and alternative vehicles than any other car company and have made great strides to inform the general public about the advantages of using alternative fuels as well as GMC alternative vehicles.

GMC’s newest campaign for alternative fuels is the “Think Green, Go Yellow” which promotes the use of Ethanol blend E85 fuel. Ethanol E85 is made from corn and is mostly an alcohol based product. It has lower emissions than regular gasoline and burns cleaner causing less damage to the environment. GMC wants people to know that they firmly support the alternative fuel movement and offer plenty of vehicles that run on E85 fuel.

GMC has also been innovative in the development of the fuel cell vehicle whose only emission is water vapor. The Chevy Equinox is GMC’s answer to the requests of people who want a clean burning car without having to give up luxury or quality. The Equinox is fully functional, carrying up to four occupants and their gear. Plus, it’s engineered to reach a top speed of 100 mph.

Equinox Fuel Cell has been crash-tested and is expected to meet all applicable 2007 U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. And you will enjoy the benefits of driver and front passenger head curtain side air bags, the StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System, four-wheel antilock disc brakes with Traction Control, and OnStar. On the outside, you’ll notice premium Tricoat paint and unique styling that is distinctively Chevrolet.

In other words, the GMC Equinox Fuel Cell vehicle runs on totally clean fuel cells and emits only water vapor so it is truly a “green” vehicle. While fuel cell technology has come a long way, it has taken awhile for car manufacturers to jump on the bandwagon and produce a vehicle that is run totally on fuel cells. That makes GMC a leader in the alternative fuel department.

GMC also produces several other types of vehicles that run on alternative fuels including hybrid cars and flex-fuel vehicles that are becoming increasingly popular. With the push toward alternative fuels, GMC has met the demand and become a favorite among those who also support the “green” movement in vehicles.