The debate over alternate fuels has continued unabated since 2007. The number of options that are being bandied about just means to me that nobody really knows which way to turn. The technologies are all there, but there is no consensus on the way to go.
That scenario has plagued the world now for decades. Remember the debate over Betamax or VHS? VHS won in the end, only to be supplanted by CD and then DVD and now Blue Ray. So now in the fuel options we have LPG, CNG, E5, E10, E20 and E85 ethanol to electricity and hydrogen fuel cells. Which one is the ‘Blue Ray’ of energy delivery for the automotive world?
E85
One man who should have had a better understanding of the true global picture was General Motors Research and Development chief, Larry Burns. On a recent trip to Australia, Burns urged stakeholders in alternative energy technologies to stop fighting among themselves. Putting forward what he considers to be the voice of reason, Burns stated that in GM’s view there was no one solution to the looming fuel crisis and that various energy technology backers should recognize this. “If this issue is as serious as it appears to be, then we can solve it,” said Larry Burns. “But we can’t solve it by being paralyzed by all these different parochial views.”
Undoubtedly he is correct that there are many parochial views on this subject. Different countries have been leaning towards different solutions. Brazil has gone to Ethanol (including E85), Europe is tending towards diesel and Thailand? Well, we seem to be backing every horse in the race, even to the situation where PTT is promising several E85 pumps before we have any real numbers of E85 compatible cars. Currently, I believe there is one E85 pump in Pattaya, as I write this. So if you have an E85 car, don’t stray too far from home. (This situation reminds me of the famous Bristol Brabazon plane which was built at an airport whose runway wasn’t long enough for it to take off, and they had to build a new runway as well!)
Larry Burns said the various backers were creating a distorted picture of the viability of various alternative technologies that was detrimental.
“What’s happening is that people who like natural gas over-promote natural gas and overly criticize all the other (alternative fuels),” he said.
“The people who like ethanol overly promote ethanol and overly criticize all the other ones. The next thing you know, you’ve got all these people digging their heels in, thinking there’s a single answer and that’s the only thing you should invest in. In fact, we must invest in all of them.”
So which fuel type will win out in the end? I still lean towards battery power as an expensive delivery system does not need to be instituted like that required for hydrogen, ethanol and the like. Everyone has a power point at home.
