Central Michigan University Master of Science in Administration (MSA) Program

Course Title: Submitted to: Submitted by: MSA 600 Administration Research and Report Methods Dr. Moataz Fattah Lakeisha Burnett 13311 Hurston Foster Ln Detroit, Mi 48215 Work Phone: 313-231-5303 Home/Cell Phone: 313-231-5303 Email: burne2ll@cmich.edu MSA600 Online 9-11-2011

Course Location: Submission Date:

Research Project Title: A Research on Alternative Fuel For Vehicles

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORSHIP:
I certify that I am the author of this paper and that any assistance I receive in its preparation is fully acknowledged and disclosed in this paper. I have also cited any sources from which I used data, ideas, or works, either quoted directly or paraphrased. I also certify that this paper was prepared by me specifically for this course.

Students Signature: Lakeisha Burnett Instructors Comments:

A Research on Alternative Fuel For Vehicles

MSA 600 Administrative Research and Report Methods

Submitted by: Lakeisha Burnett

Project Instructor: Dr. Moataz Fattah

9-11-2011

Table of Contents

Page Number

List of Tables List of Figures 2

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Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

Problem Definition Literature Review Research Methodology Data Analysis Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

1 9 18 [Future] [Future] Page 24 Pages 25-26

Terminology and Definitions References Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Permission to Conduct Study Transmittal Letter/Survey Instructions Survey/Interview Questions

Chapter 1 Problem Definition

Administrative Problem

Abstract Most people are familiar with gasoline, so they rarely question its safety. However, many people are unaccustomed to alternative fuels and may have 3

misconceptions or doubts about their safety in vehicle applications. Almost all of the fuel we use for transportation is made from petroleum. Gasoline and diesel fuel account for all but about one-fourth of one percent of transportation fuel. Most gasoline does contain a small amount of ethyl alcohol (also called ethanol), which increases the oxygen content of the gasoline for cleaner burning. Throughout this report you will briefly learn about the various forms of alternative fuel used for Alternative Fuel Vehicles. Background To reduce and control air pollution emissions from mobile sources, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a strategy that employs the acquisition and use of alternative fueled vehicles. Alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are any vehicles designed to run on at least one alternative fuel. The Department of Energy under the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 mandates the acquisition of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) to decrease America's dependence on petroleum-based products and improving vehicle efficiency is the single most effective means to reduce petroleum dependence. Alternative fuels are derived from resources other than petroleum. Some are produced domestically, reducing our dependence on imported oil, and some are derived from renewable sources. Often, they produce less pollution than gasoline or diesel. 4

The EPAct identifies an alternative fuel as any fuel that is substantially nonpetroleum, which prohibits air quality degradation by producing fewer toxic chemicals that contribute to air pollution. The United States Department of Energy officially recognizes this list of alternative fuels:

Alcohols - ethanol and methanol. Compressed natural gas (CNG) - natural gas under high pressure. Electricity - stored in batteries. Hydrogen - a very special type of gas. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) - natural gas that is very, very cold. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) (also called propane) - hydrocarbon gases under low pressure.

Liquids made from coal - gasoline and diesel fuel that doesn't come from petroleum.

Biodiesel - a lot like diesel fuel, but made from plant oil or animal fat.

Research Problem With the expected decrease of oil supply by 2025 and the demand by the EPA to create a cleaner burning vehicle to reduce carbon dioxide, the need to find an alternative fuel has never been in more demand. The problem we have with alternative fuels today, 5

is that they are not promising alternatives to gasoline. Unfortunately, the alternative fuels of tomorrow have plenty of problems as well. Scientists must continue to research and experiment with additional alternative fuels, and learn to accurately predict their effects, before the world is ready for a large-scale shift away from gasoline. This study will address the issues below: Are some sources of alternate fuels really cleaner or cheaper? Will the cost to purchase an AFV (alternate fuel vehicle) be competitive with the cost of standard vehicles? How do producers plan to handle the limited supply of alternate fuels for a large scale conversion from gas to alternate fuels? What are the means of improving the efficiency and performance levels of alternate fuels? In order to answer these sub-problems this research/study will examine the various types of alternate fuels. The research will help to determine the cost of using and implementing these alternate fuels and will also help to determine which fuels are cleaner and more efficient to use. The research will attempt to provide insight on the various types of alternate fuels available for businesses and consumers to use. Research Objective 6

Gasoline and diesel have been our primary fuels used in automobiles, farm and recreational vehicles for decades. Our dependence on other countries to provide us with gasoline has gone into a downward spiral with the economy doing so poorly and the poor mileage rated cars that are being produced. Without having a certain level of efficiency in our vehicles, we are only pushing ourselves closer to the point of needing an alternate fuel source. This research/study is important, because it will provide insight on less costly and cleaner fuels that can be create and used opposed to petroleum. With oil production expected to diminish significantly over the next 30-40 years, this research/stud will show, that it is imperative to start getting other alternate fuel sources into mainstream use immediately. Scope This research will focus on the various types of alternate fuels available. Which fuels are cleaner more efficient and their cost.

Chapter 2 Literature Review Background The purpose of this section is to research the various types of alternate fuels, how they are used, the cost of these fuels, the benefits of using these fuels and which fuels are cleaner and the most efficient to use. Many countries that depended on imported fossils fuels, are feeling the pinch caused by the rising cost of crude oil and petroleum excise duties. Add to that, 70% of mineral oil deposits are located in politically unstable areas. The mounting pressure from environment groups for cleaner air also gives more urgency for the concerned agencies look for ways to make alternative fuel commercially viable. Especially since most raw materials can be locally sourced. Some of the fuels that many countries have considered for alternate fuel are:

Alcohols - ethanol and methanol. Compressed natural gas (CNG) - natural gas under high pressure.

Electricity - stored in batteries. Hydrogen - a very special type of gas. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) - natural gas that is very, very cold. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) (also called propane) - hydrocarbon gases under low pressure.

Liquids made from coal - gasoline and diesel fuel that doesn't come from petroleum.

Biodiesel - a lot like diesel fuel, but made from plant oil or animal fat. Alcohol fuel should be considered an important part of the solution, but not

considered a universal remedy. With the supplies available, alcohol could only supply 5% of the motor fuel needs. The real advantage of alcohol is that it can be burned in vehicles all over the world with little or no modifications required to the vehicle. This is due to alcohol being very similar to gasoline. Alcohol based fuel is being used more for domestic and commercial transportation, including the airlines and cars. The need for petroleum-based fuels could be considerably reduced worldwide. Added pluses for them is that alcohol based fuels, as well as coal based fuels add less atmospheric pollution (Coal as Fuel of the Future). Natural gas is like oil (petroleum); this common fuel comes from underground. 9

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However, natural gas is a gas much like air, rather than a liquid like petroleum. It has been found to be one of the most environmentally friendly fuels, and its popularity is growing (California Energy Commission, 2006). Natural gas is one of the cleanest burning alternative fuels available and offers a number of advantages over gasoline. In light-duty applications, air exhaust emissions from natural gas vehicles are much lower than those from gasoline-powered vehicles. In addition, smog-producing gases, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, are reduced by more than 90% and 60%, respectively and carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is reduced by 30%-40%. Because of its clean burning nature and the fact that it is not made from petroleum, as gasoline and diesel are, many automakers around the world are developing vehicles to run on natural gas ( U.S. Government, 2007). Electric motors have several advantages over internal combustion engines (ICEs) which are as followed: Electric motors convert 75% of the chemical energy from the batteries to power the wheelsinternal combustion engines (ICEs) only convert 20% of the energy stored in gasoline. Electricity from nuclear-, hydro-, solar-, or windpowered plants causes no air pollutants. Electric motors provide quiet, smooth operation and stronger acceleration and require less maintenance than ICEs (United State Department of Energy, 2007). Electrical Vehicles (EVs) face significant battery-related challenges: Most EVs can only go 150 miles before recharging. Fully recharging the 10

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battery pack can take 4 to 8 hours. The large battery packs are expensive and usually must be replaced one or more times. Battery packs are heavy and take up considerable vehicle space (United State Department of Energy, 2007). Charging an EV's batteries, the car usually has to be plugged in at night, right into a regular electrical wall outlet (U.S. Department of Energy, 2007). Hydrogen (H2) is made by natural gas, coal, nuclear and renewable energies, like, wind, solar and hydroelectric power. Hydrogen can also be obtained from water by the process of electrolysis, or splitting water molecules using electricity (1997 B Woodbury). Because of the properties of hydrogen it is a very clean burning alternative fuel (2007 B Woodbury) Hydrogen is used in many combustion and fuel cell vehicles (2006, U.S. Department of Energy). Hydrogen is considered an alternative fuel because it is renewable and an abundant element on the planet (2000 P. Kushnir). The leading production for making hydrogen fuel requires large amounts of electricity to burn coal, and a large storage space. One problem that hydrogen produces is the issue of making it available to consumers. The only pipeline of hydrogen is in the Gulf States and Southern California, where there are 700 miles of pipe (2007 C Lombardi). Both compressed and liquid hydrogen can be transported by truck or rail and pressurized hydrogen gas can be transported via pipeline (2000 P Kushnir). Another leading problem affecting hydrogens usage, is the short range of the cars, hydrogen 11

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cars cannot go no more than 200 miles between fueling using hydrogen, making this undesirable for consumers (2007 C Lombardi). According to California Energy

Commission, (2006) liquefied natural gas (LNG) is made by refrigerating natural gas to condense it into a liquid. The liquid form is denser than natural gas or CNG. It has more energy for the amount of space it takes up. LNG is good for large trucks that need to go a long distance before they stop for more fuel. LNG is made by refrigerating natural gas to minus 260 degrees below zero to condense it into a liquid, which is called liquefaction. The liquefaction process removes most of the water vapor, butane, propane, and other trace gases, that are usually included in ordinary natural gas. Propane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a clean-burning fossil fuel that can be used to power internal combustion engines. LPG-fueled vehicles produce fewer toxic and smog-forming air pollutants. LPG is usually less expensive than gasoline, and most LPG used in U.S. comes from domestic sources (U.S. Department of Energy, 2007). According to California Energy Commission (2006), LPG is stored in special tanks that keep it under pressure, so it stays a liquid. The pressure of these tanks is usually about 200 pounds per square inch "psi"). LPG fueled engines can pollute less than gasoline and diesel engines. LPG usually costs less than gasoline for the same amount of energy (California Energy Commission, 2006). Propane vehicles can produce fewer ozone-

forming emissions than vehicles powered by reformulated gasoline. The cost of a 12

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gasoline-gallon equivalent of propane is generally less than that of gasoline; so driving a propane vehicle can save money. In addition, propane is the most accessible of all alternative fuels. In the United States approximately 3,000 publicly accessible facilities offer propane. Approximately 85% of all propane used in this country comes from domestic sources, so driving a propane vehicle can help reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil and strengthen national energy security (U.S. Department of Energy, 2007). Similar to oil and natural gas, coal is a non-renewable fossil fuel. As we know, coal is formed in the earth from previous living parts (Transportation Energy, 2005). Because coal is in the solid form, it is difficult to use in most fuels used in the different forms of transportation. This doesnt mean that there are not ways of producing fuels from coal. Since Germany has large coal deposits, they realized that the coal could be used to make synthetic fuels such as oil, gasoline and diesel. These processes could also be used today, but are very expensive. Coal burns cleaner than other fuel, and has been given an incorrect image. According to The World Coal Institute, technologies have been developed to improve the environmental performance of coal-sue techniques, and that the efficient burning of coal based fuels results in the release of fewer pollutants into the atmosphere (Coal as Fuel of the Future). The greenhouse gases that coal produces add to less than 20% of 13

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any improved greenhouse effect. Today, the use of coal is the main source of fuel for electricity generated throughout the world (Coal as Fuel of the Future). It is believed that if coal were used more for domestic and commercial transportation, including the airlines and cars, the need for petroleum-based fuels could be considerably reduced worldwide. There is more coal supplies worldwide than petroleum. Biodiesel is one of many alternative fuels that produce less carbon dioxide emissions and produces fewer particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. With Biodiesel consumers are offered a safer diesel than petroleum (2006 U. S. Department of Energy). Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease. The pre-treating of the oils and fats remove water and contaminants. The oil and fats are then mixed with an alcohol and a catalyst (2006 U. S. Department of Energy). About half of Biodiesel can be made using any fat or oil feedstock, the other half is from vegetable oils, which is the less expensive (2006 U. S. Department of Energy). By using feedstock 1.9 billion gallons of Biodiesel can be made, this is about 5 percent of the diesel used on the roads (2006 U. S. Department of Energy). The concept of using alternative fuels to produce diesel has been around since the early 20th century. Rudolph Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine tried different fuels but decided to use petroleum because it was cheap and plentiful (Radich 2004). The idea of using soybean oil and yellow grease didnt really become serious until 14

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petroleum distillate started to rise in cost (Radich 2004). Yellow grease, which is less expensive than soybean oil, would be the best fuel to use if the supply wasnt limited (Radich 2004). One disadvantage of using Biodiesel is the performance in cold conditions. Diesel has an additive to reduce the diesel fuel from forming wax crystals, which can clog fuel lines and filters. The performance of Biodiesel is worse than the petroleum diesel because they experience problems at less temperature (Radich 2004). Overall, if Biodiesel is made from yellow grease then it would be cost-competitive and if mixed with soybean oil, the available supply of yellow grease will not be an issue. Argument Although several negatives exist with alternative fuels, scientists, engineers, and legislators working together can overcome the difficulties and present all people with a new alternative for fuel and make a better tomorrow. Though alternative fuels have a few negative aspects, their positive qualities far outweigh any disadvantages that could occur. Alternative fuels have many positive environmental and world affects, and should be broadly researched and produced. Alternative fuels could eliminate many worries and problems plaguing society today, making a better future for the next generation.

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Chapter 3 Research Methodology

Research Approach For the past thirty years our country has become increasingly more aware of the effects our energy use has on the environment. At the same time, it is clear that our dependence on foreign oil is having significant consequences to our economy and our national security. Yet despite alternative technologies, we still get most of our energy from the fossil fuels. We know we have a problem, but the challenges of moving away from the established technologies and infrastructure are monumental.

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The research done throughout this paper will help to determine various types of alternate fuels, how they are used, the cost of these fuels, the benefits of using these fuels and which fuels are cleaner and the most efficient to use. To that end secondary research was my methodology of choice. The majority of the data was collected from existing secondary sources, specifically, the Internet. The focus of the information collection will be the various types of alternate fuels, how they are used and the cost of these fuels. The internet provided a plethora of information retained by the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Government and CNN. Other secondary sources that were used included the Central Michigan University Off-Campus Library and various U.S. government websites Data Collected. In order to fully understand the benefits of alternative fuels, an in-depth look must be taken into gasoline. Gasoline is made during the refinement of petroleum. It is composed of a long strand of hydrocarbons arrangements of hydrogen and carbon atoms, which make it relatively inexpensive and enable it to create more energy for its weight (115,400 BTU's per gallon) than almost any other fuel ("Clean"). Unfortunately, there is a downside to this long carbon chain. Because of its chemical makeup, gasoline doesn't fully burn during combustion. According to a study 17

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done by the U.S. Department of Energy, it found that the amount of harmful emissions that are expelled into the air, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and other ozone depleting chemicals, that are byproducts of a car's internal combustion, are enough to cause a theoretical green-house effect ("Replacement"). That is not the only problem with gasoline. Many other environmental hazards occur during the process of drilling for oil and petroleum. Oil spills cause millions of dollars worth of damages to plant and animal life, and also take countless years to clean up. Gasoline used to be the most financially-practical fuel. It burns more efficiently than almost all fuels, but costs continue to rise. While that is enough to convince some people not to switch to alternative fuels, it must be known that gasoline is not environmentally-practical. The emissions from gasoline are causing such terrible disasters as global warming and ozone depletion, which are both harmful to the people and the future of this planet. One type of alternative fuel, ethanol, is already in wide use. Ethanol is a grain alcohol, and can be produced from grains like corn or wheat. According to the magazine Chemology, Corn is the most popular source for producing alcohol, because it is widely available year round in the United States and it is relatively inexpensive compared to other grains. Not only is ethanol a wise choice financially, it is an economically safe fuel. One source reports that ethanol's emissions are 85 to 90% less than gasoline. 18

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However, the process of making ethanol emits many harmful gases into the atmosphere. Also, it has been estimated that the amount of energy it takes to make a gallon of ethanol is almost equal to the amount that it would produce in a car. Although ethanol doesn't have as much energy content as gasoline, it still has a very high octane rating and can be considered a legitimate alternative source of fuel for cars. Ethanol is a very conservative route when dealing with alternative fuels. It is very identical to gasoline and is already implemented into most gas stations. During the winter months, many stations use a diluted form of gasoline, containing ethanol, to reduce the amount of pollution. Biodiesel is a fuel created from organic oils, such as vegetable or seed oils. The production process uses chemical reactions to create the liquid fuel. Biodiesel is an alternative to petrodiesel and can be substituted for petrodiesel in most diesel engines with little or no modifications to the engine itself. The fuel is already commonly added to diesel fuel in small amounts. B20, a common fuel mixture, is 80% petrodiesel and 20% biodiesel. Many countries already have laws requiring specific percentages of biodiesel additions to petrodiesel. Hydrogen powered fuel cells have often been touted by advocates of alternative fuel. In fact, when one thinks of alternative fuel possibilities, often the first image to come to mind is a hydrogen car. However, hydrogen fuel has problems under the 19

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surface, which could limit its use as a fuel in the future.

While several of the other fuel alternatives have begun to show promise, they all seem to also have distinct drawbacks. Some fuel alternatives are too costly to become a commercially viable alternative to gasoline. Other more cost effective fuels do not appear to meet the range of requirements demanded by consumers. Few of these sources currently appear to be capable of matching the energy output of gasoline. Best estimates suggest that within 40 years, crude oil resources will be sufficiently depleted as to render gasoline commercially unviable. It is crucial that we quickly find an acceptable replacement for gasoline. In addition, it takes no stretch of the imagination to understand what levels of pollution are being created by our nation's oil addiction. One only has to look at the skies above New York City or Los Angeles to see where we have come in past century of automotive transportation. It is easy to see that alternative fuels will be needed very shortly to replace gasoline. Still, it is equally important that the next fuel we rely on does nothing more to pollute the environment. In the best-case scenario, our next national fuel should assist in alleviating our current levels of pollution.

Data Collection Procedures 20

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Various Types of Alternate Fuels In determining the various types of alternate fuels two primary sources will be used. Information will be obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy - Alternative Fuel Data Center. www.eere.energy.gov/altfuel/altfuels.html and U.S. Government http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/current.shtml.

Cleaner and Cost Efficient Fuels This is the primary goal of this research paper was to determine which fuels are cleaner and more cost efficient to use. In determining this three primary sources were used. U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/altfuel/hydrogen.html, Radich, A (2004) Biodiesel performance, Cost, and Use. http://eia.doe.gov/oiaf/analysispaper/biodiese/index.html and U.S. Government http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/current.shtml.

References
Alternative Fuel Vehicles: Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), retrieved 21

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September 03, 2011 from http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/26066.pdf U.S. Department of Energy (2008). Alternative Fuel Data Center. Retrieved September 2, 2011 from http://www.eere.energy.gov/altfuel/altfuels.html U.S. Government. (2009). Alternative Fuels. Retrieved September 7, 2011, from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/current.shtml Kushnir, P. (2000) Hydrogen As an Alternative Fuel. Retrieved September 21, 2011, from www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/MayJune00?M5492.htm Woodbury, B. (1997) Hydrogen: The perfect Fuel. Retrieved September 20, 2011, from http://www.commutercars.com/h2Frame.html Lombardi, C. (2007) Studying the Hydrogen Energy Chain. C/net News.com. Retrieved September 24, 2011 from http://news.com.com/2102-11392_3-6173003.html? tag=st.util.print (2006) U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Alternative Fuels Data Center, Retrieved September 24, 2011, from http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/altfuel/hydrogen.html Radich, A (2004) Biodiesel performance, Cost, and Use. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved September 21, 2011, from http://eia.doe.gov/oiaf/analysispaper/biodiese/index.html (2005) U. S. Department of Energy energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 22

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Alternative Fuels Data Center. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://eere.energy.gov/afdc/altfuel/bio_benefits.html?print Walton, M. (2001) CNN.com. SCI-Tech. Could hydrogen be the fuel of the future? Retrieved September 22, 2011, from http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TECH/science/03/16/hydrogen.cars/ (2005) Physorg.com Is hydrogen a viable fuel alternative? Retrieved September 22, 2011, from http://www.physorg.com/news7198.html Milliken, J. (2007) U. S. Department of Energy, Presidents Hydrogen Fuel Initiative FY2008 Budget Request Briefing. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/members/policy/resources/fy08_budgetBrie fing.pdf

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