Forum in focus. The one essential element needed to accelerate action on climate change. Read more about this project. Explore context. Explore the latest strategic trends, research and analysis. Biodiesel Biodiesel is a renewable fuel which can be made from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease. Electricity Electric cars have been around a while but so far have struggled to enter the mass market.
Ethanol Ethanol is an alcoholic renewable that is made of the same kind of alcohol you find in alcoholic beverages. Hydrogen Hydrogen has virtually no greenhouse gas emissions. Natural Gas Natural Gas is already widely used for a number of purposes around the world. Propane Propane, or liquefied petroleum gas, is clean-burning and high-energy, making it a tempting alternative. Author: Donald Armbrecht is a freelance writer and social media producer. License and Republishing. Written by. More on Future of the Environment View all.
Simon Torkington 12 Nov COP Everything to know about the climate change summit on 11 November Top COP26 stories: China and the US reach emissions deal; aviation sector seeks sustainable jet fuels; call for global agreement on sustainability reporting standards. Simon Torkington 11 Nov Equality, justice, and investment in nature must be at the heart of the corporate climate response Hina West 11 Nov Flexible Fuel Vehicles.
Hydrogen is a potentially emissions- free alternative fuel that can be produced from domestic resources for use in fuel cell vehicles. Fuel Cell Vehicles. Natural gas is a domestically abundant gaseous fuel that can have significant fuel cost advantages over gasoline and diesel fuel. Natural Gas Vehicles. Propane is a readily available gaseous fuel that has been widely used in vehicles throughout the world for decades.
Propane Vehicles. Several emerging fuels are considered alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act and may be under development or already developed and available in the United States.
Conventional vehicles and engines can be modified to operate using a different fuel or power source. Before you convert your car, contact the manufacturer to find out whether it's suitable, and whether the conversion will affect the car's warranty.
All the components, as well as the installation, repair and maintenance of LPG systems, are covered by mandatory standards and other government regulations. Only businesses that meet special licensing requirements are permitted to install, repair or adjust a car's LPG system.
Your state or territory transport authority can give you details of licensed installers in your area and has information on particular requirements. You'll also need to tell them once your car has been converted. It's unlikely you'll pay a different insurance premium for a converted car, but you should contact your insurer to make sure. In any case, you'll still need to let them know once your car has been converted.
Tank: Although you can convert your car to run on LPG only, the LPG system is usually installed in addition to the fuel system dual-fuel mode , greatly increasing the distance you can travel between fill-ups. LPG tanks are considered as safe, if not safer, than petrol tanks in an accident.
Vaporiser regulator converter : Regulates the outlet gas pressure according to engine demands. LPG control processor: Operates in conjunction with the car's on-board computer to accurately meter the amount of gas for increased economy.
If you're going for a duel-fuel conversion you'll need to make sure that all emission control, engine control and engine management systems and devices remain operational. The payback time depends on the number of kilometres you drive each year, your car's fuel consumption, the cost of the conversion and the price difference between petrol and LPG. Make sure you assess your situation before you convert to LPG — it may take longer to pay for itself than you want to keep the car for. For example:.
Biofuels and LPG aren't the only alternatives to petrol. Consider cutting costs and reducing your impact on the environment with these transport options:. Hybrid vehicles use two fuel sources. For example, a car that can switch between LPG from one tank to petrol from another could be considered a hybrid.
The original hybrid, the Toyota Prius, combines a conventional petrol engine with a rechargeable electric battery to achieve better fuel economy. The Prius boasts tiny average fuel consumption figures of 3. The catch, of course, is the high purchase price. This puts the relatively small Prius on par with many medium-sized passenger vehicles when it comes to whole-of-life costs.
The same applies to most of the other hybrids on the market. The technology to power electric cars has been around for a long time, but it's really only in the past decade that major car manufacturers have been investing in the area. True electric cars are powered only by rechargeable electric batteries.
Electric cars have some big positives; no combustion engine means virtually no noise, they're cheaper and easier to power up because you can do both at home, and their CO2 emissions are generally much lower than petrol vehicles. Electric cars do come with some drawbacks. They also have a more limited driving range than hybrid or petrol models — around —km on one battery — which can mean 'range anxiety' for drivers on longer trips. Most big car brands have at least one electric model available, but the total Australian market is still very small.
For more on petrol car alternatives see our green car buying guide. If doing without a car is not an option, you don't necessarily have to buy a "green" car to make a significant difference to your bills and the environment. Choosing the right car for your needs and driving style has a massive impact on your costs. If you're just driving around town, you may not need a family car. Instead, an inexpensive two-seater can have comparable fuel use and emissions to a much more expensive hybrid.
Small cars can cost about one third less to run than a 4WD, and they're often cheap to buy, so their whole-of-life costs are less than half that of a 4WD. Could a rental 4WD cover the times you need off-road or towing capacity?
When you shop for a new car, make good fuel efficiency a must-have. It's easy — all new vehicles have to carry a fuel consumption label. If space for seven is what you need, buying a medium-sized people-mover instead of a large 4WD will save you money both at purchase time and at the petrol pump. While electric and hybrid cars make up most of the Green Vehicle Guide's top 20 performers, you'll generally find a few small petrol models in the list.
So if you want to stick with petrol, find a normal car that runs on regular unleaded fuel, has respectable fuel use and emissions figures, is cheap to buy and is popular enough that you may be able to find a recent second-hand model. Driving smarter is part of the solution. When half the car trips in Australian cities are less than five kilometres, we could all look at driving less often.
Converting even a few of these trips to walking, cycling or public transport makes an impact. We're not all able to switch cars or fuel type in the short term. So remember that it's not only the car and the fuel, but also driving style that determines your costs and the costs to the environment. If you only need a car occasionally, car-sharing schemes can be a great alternative. Sign up and you can book a vehicle online or over the phone for as long as you need it.
They currently operate in most major capitals and some larger cities.
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