Fuels of the Future

Approximately 50% of the oil consumed in the United States is imported, two-thirds of which are used to power transportation vehicles. This translates to the consumption of approximately 8.5 million barrels of gasoline daily. With this consumption comes significant pollution of our atmosphere, water, and soil. Some estimates suggest that 25% of total greenhouse gas emissions and 25-75% of key chemicals that pollute the air, causing smog and health problems, are from transportation vehicles. This dependence on foreign oil and significant resulting pollution have led to a series of laws and policies aimed at introducing alternative fuels for passenger cars and light trucks. Yet, these laws and related regulations still fail to adequately protect the environment, the most notable example of such failure being the widespread contamination of ground and surface waters by methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).

Present Congressional deliberations related to oxygenated and biomass fuels, as well as recent advances in automotive technologies will require debate and significant decisions about the fuel choices we make to power passenger cars and light trucks. In 1992, a draft report from the U.S. EPA identified that consideration of alternative fuels could have major air and water quality impacts and that, therefore, it would be prudent to understand the risks and benefits of such changes before they are fully implemented. This website serves as a resource for such initiatives.

Contents Background Information General Information: Alternative Fuels and Standards Fuel Infrastructure System HCCI Engines Environmental Fate and Transport Issues Legislation and Policy Potential Research Partners Reference Library Related Links