Fuels for the future.

• Author: Ajango, Deb
• Position: Alternative energy sources

Get ready to gear up your vehicles with these new energy alternatives.

Alternative fuels are coming soon to a pump near you. Why? The reasons are twofold. First, the United States consumes far more oil than it can produce domestically, leading to concerns over energy uses and national security. Second, many of the nation's larger cities are caught in the grip of air-quality problems caused by currently used fossil fuels.

In Anchorage and Fairbanks during the winter, for example, carbon-monoxide emissions are considered a "moderate" problem, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Consequently, the Clean Air Act of 1990 requires that cities like these use alternative fuels to reduce emissions and avoid violating the law.

These changes have resulted in a growing market for non-petroleum powered autos. To date, none of these fuel alternatives is perfect. Some provide less energy than gasoline; most cost more than the gas we can purchase at pumps. Many of the products have not been adequately tested in Alaska's extreme cold.

Despite these deficiencies, however, these alternative fuels are headed our way, and someday may corner the market that gasoline now covers.

Alcohol Fuel Advantages

Three alcohol fuels that have been tested are MTBE, methanol and ethanol. Each lowers auto emissions, can be produced domestically, and is typically used as an additive to gasoline.

The alcohol fuel which most Alaskans are familiar with is MTBE. When used in the state during the winter of 1992-1993, this oxygenated-fuel additive created health problems and brought numerous complaints from customers. Not wanting to create even bigger problems, EPA agreed to allow Fairbanks and Anchorage to discontinue use of MTBE, even though such an exemption ran against Clean Air Act requirements.

Methanol, from which MTBE is derived, can be made from a variety of substances, including renewable resources, but it is primarily converted from plentiful natural gas. The fuel has received favorable results in performance tests. In fact, it is the fuel of choice in race cars such as those used in the Indianapolis 500. And though pure methanol is hard-starting in cold weather, adding a mixture that contains 15 percent gasoline seems to do the trick.

Unfortunately, methanol's problems seem to outnumber its pluses. First, it does not provide the fuel range of gasoline. So, you'll have to fill up more often. When you're driving long distances, just pray that your auto...