Alternative Energy

With the high cost of oil and the fuels obtain from refining oil there has been much discussed about alternative energy sources. Years ago my father purchased the pickup truck his father drove prior to his death. My grandfather had converted his pickup to run on propane with the idea that he could also run it on regular gas if the need arose. Although he never did get it to work on regular gas, the truck could go quite a way before needing a fill up thanks to a 100 gallon propane tank installed in the bed of the truck. My father once told me the oil that came out of the truck when he changed it appeared to be just as clean as it was when he put it in three months previous.

The technology for alternative sources of energy is there. We simply need to implement this technology on a much broader scale. I personally see a time in which every building will have solar panels installed. Imagine how cheap our electricity would be if this were done? CNN reported on a story about a company in Colorado that installs solar panels. This is an excellent example of what can be done to help reduce the costs of energy.

I would love to see the day when the majority of buildings in a city have solar panels installed. Just imagine how cheap electricity would be if everyone had a solar panel installed! Many cities, states, and even utility companies offer incentives to install solar panels. Logan, UT is an example of this had has recently extended the rebate offer. Click here or here for details.

At this time electric cars are not a practical solution for long distance travel. The reason why this is the case is for two reasons. The first is the distance electric cars can go on a single charge. At best this distance is about 200 to 250 miles. The second reason is the length of time it takes to charge an all electric car. At this time, it takes just as long to charge an electric car as it does to drive the maximum distance on a single charge. This is why we have hybrid cars on the market. However, hybrid vehicles are very expensive to purchase right now for most people and even then, some hybrids still get the same gas mileage as a very fuel efficient car using a regular internal combustion engine.

There is the option of converting a car to utilize a different fuel source in much the way my grandfather did with his truck. However, many of these conversion options take a lot of cash up front to manage. There is also the matter of finding a fuel station close by that carries the fuel your vehicle requires. Natural Gas stations are not easy to come by at this time. You might have better luck with Propane. Do the research before you jump so you are aware of what you are getting into.

There are many things that one can do right now to help conserve fuel. The following are just a few items that can be put into practice now.

1 - Tune up your car. For less than $100 (check with your local mechanics shop for actual prices) you can tune up your car and improve your fuel efficiency.

2 - Replace the air filter. A dirty clogged air filter is starving your engine of the oxygen it needs to mix into the fuel to burn properly.

3 - Check your tire pressure. If your tires are not properly inflated your car will work harder and in turn burn more fuel. Over inflated tires are also a danger. Not only will the tire ware out faster but will not have enough grip and the vehicle will be harder to control.

4 - Slow down! Yes, most law enforcement agencies will allow for five to 10 miles per hour over the limit but you use more fuel the faster you go. In the past month I have tried to travel at the speed limit and have noticed my fuel efficiency increase about 3 miles per gallon. Sure that isn't a lot but over time it will add up!