What are Alternate or Alternative Fuels?
Alternate or Alternative Fuel has been a buzz word in the transportation field for many years, but it has only been in the last few years that it has come into the limelight. Simply stated, any fuel used to operate a motor vehicle besides traditional gasoline and diesel fuels is an alternate fuel. An alternate fuel can be as simple as alcohol blended with gasoline. However, with the Clean Air Act, the term has been redefined to suit government standards. There are two areas of concern with respect to alternative fuels. One is that alternate fuels should burn cleaner with fewer, less harmful by-products. The other is that alternate fuels should reduce the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. The more common alternate fuels are Compressed Natural Gas or CNG, Propane, Methanol blends and Ethanol. CNG and Propane thus far seem to be the most popular choices for fleets who are mandated by several governmental regulations to convert a percentage of their vehicles to some form of alterna
