Wednesday 2 February 2011

Is greener fuel the way forward?

I only ask this question because we seem in thrall to electric cars which can be expensive and impractical to recharge. It now seems though that there could be a new kid on the block.                                                              Within a few short years we could be using a cheap green fuel costing around 19p a litre. British scientists are trying to put the finishing touches to a formula for a cheap fuel based on hydrogen. This new fuel will be able to be used in existing cars and engines, but will only cost a fraction of what it does now.
Because its hydrogen based and not carbon, it won’t produce any harmful emissions that we have today, when it burns it will only produce water as a by-product. This of course will keep all those tiresome environmentalists quiet. Anything that keeps them quiet must be worth a look wouldn’t you say?                                                           
Leader of the project Stephen Bennington at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, in conjunction with University College London and Oxford University, has this to say; ‘We have developed micro beads that can be used in an existing gasoline or petrol vehicle to replace oil-based fuels. Early indications are that the micro-beads can be used in existing vehicles without engine modification. The materials are hydrogen based, and so when used produce no carbon emissions at the point of use, in a similar way to electric vehicles.’

This fuel hasn’t been given a proper brand name yet, but is expected to give the same range as conventional fuel.
However the AA president Edmund King has warned: 'The fact the hydrogen is cheaper now doesn’t mean it always will be because the Government would get it’s hands on it and increase the tax.’


You don’t say!