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Strangest Alternative Fuel Sources

The majority of the world's fuel is derived from fossils. This is a nonrenewable source and reserves will eventually deplete. Hence alternative fuel sources are of significant importance. Conventional biofuel crops such as canola, palm and soy, compete with food crops for land and water resources, which raises food prices and contributes to global hunger. Thus researchers are discovering some stranger yet sustainable alternative fuel sources.

  1. The Problem with Fossil Fuels

    • Apart from being nonrenewable, fossil fuels also cause considerable human and environmental damage. Their use contributes to global warming because burning fossil fuel has led to an estimated 25 percent increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide over the past 150 years. Burning also releases harmful air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Also, oil spill incidences have a devastating impact on human and marine life.

    Hydrogen

    • To be used as fuel, hydrogen is broken down from water. In plants, water molecules are split using sunlight, and researchers from University of Colorado Boulder are developing a cost-effective way to mimic this reaction to produce hydrogen for fuel. Hydrogen is energy-dense and produces water when burned. Most hydrogen is derived from natural gas and results in significant carbon dioxide emissions, thus defeating the purpose of clean energy.

    Human Feces

    • With a growing human population, feces are possibly the most renewable fuel source. Feces are degraded by anaerobic bacteria to produce methane, which is stored and used as fuel. EnerTech Environmental was the first company to provide commercial fuel from feces in the U.S. Because the company receives payment for sewage management, it is able to provide a cheaper alternative to coal for its customers. At full capacity, 170 tons of fuel will be produced per day from 700 tons of feces.

    Algae

    • Algae, marine organisms capable of photosynthesis, produce oils that can be used as fuel. Some algae strains produce more than 10 times more fuel per acre than biofuel crops, and do not compete with food crops for land. Genetic engineering is applied to algae for higher fuel yields, yet this may alter their natural role in the environment as oxygen producers and affect their place in the marine food chain.

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