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Click here to download Veg My Ride in MP4 format.

Click here to download Veg My Ride diagrams and schematics

Below are the top ten ways you can save gas in your car.  Try a few of these productivity enhancements and help reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

1. Tire Pressure – Check tire pressure and bring it up to recommended levels

2. Use Synthetic Engine Oil – Synthetic oil reduces friction in the engine and lasts longer between oil changes..

Correct tire pressure and use of synthetic engine oil together will cut gasoline use by 1-3%

3. Use a Light Touch on the Accelerator and Brakes – Coasting up to red lights or traffic jams saves fuel. Avoid Jack-Rabbit starts (except in many hybrids where quick starts can save fuel)

4. Drive Slower – The slower you drive, the less energy it takes to propel you and your car down the road.

5. Buy a hybrid – They are more fuel efficient than a traditional gas car by using an electric motor and batteries to supplement propulsion as well as turning off their engines when they’re stopped.

6. Remove unused heavy junk from the trunk – A lighter car takes less energy to propel it down the road.

7. Open windows and turn off the AC at speeds under 35mph – If you are going faster than 35mph, roll up all the windows and turn on the AC. Open windows cause drag at high speeds that burns more fuel than running the AC.

8. Put shades in the windshield when parked to keep the auto interior cooler – It will take less fuel to cool off the car when you get back in to drive.

9. Use a Trip Computer – If your car has a trip computer that will display interactive fuel mileage, leave it in that mode. Studies show that monitoring the fuel mileage on a trip computer provides feedback that helps drivers keep good habits and use less fuel. A British Government report shows that this type of “eco-driving” can save as much as 10-15% of fuel in the long run and costs nothing to implement.

10. Work from home - Work from home one day a week and stay off the road if possible.

All of these productivity improvements together can save a 2010 net present value of $400 billion dollars. For more information, see Reinventing Fire, by Amory Lovins.

After reading a great poston visualizing energy, I thought I’d share with you the video produced by Getty Images for corporations to use as a point of reference when they are trying to promote and brand clean energy.

What images help you to better understand complex topics like energy and alternatives to fossil fuels?  Join the conversation and let us know what you think.

Chevy Cruze Diesel

It looks like the growing sales of Volkswagen diesels in the US has garnered the attention of US carmakers. General Motors today formally announced the 2013 Chevy Cruze diesel. The 4 cylinder 2-liter VCDi diesel engine generates over 160 horsepower and 265 foot-pounds of torque, which should make it a sporty car to drive. The common-rail fuel system should give impressive fuel economy without sacrificing power.   

The most important question we want to ask Chevy is whether they will support biodiesel as a fuel type and what blends will be allowed within warranty specifications. We at NotPetroleum Blog hope for at least B20 support. Some of the newer computerized VW diesels only support B5 which limits the owner’s ability to choose renewable fuels for their TDI.

Here’s to hoping that Chevy’s new global standardization of vehicle platforms will bring more 4 cylinder diesel options to the US market. Maybe this will get Ford’s attention and we’ll see the Ford Focus Diesel here as well!

More information: http://www.automoblog.net/2011/07/25/chevrolet-cruze-to-gain-diesel-power-for-2013/

Diesel Fuel – This is the fuel your engine was designed to use. Choosing diesel is the easiest solution and doesn’t require any special considerations other than the source of where the fuel comes from and the emissions it creates.

B5 – Diesel fuel with a 5% biodiesel additive is really no different than choosing diesel as fuel. However, the biodiesel fuel additive is a solvent and will help keep your fuel tank and injectors clean. The dilution is so low that special alcohol-resistant fuel lines are not needed.  

B20 – Biodiesel diluted in diesel fuel is a great choice for most diesel vehicles. It reduces emissions and requires less diesel fuel. It also keeps the fuel tank and injectors clean as well as reducing dependence on petroleum. Older vehicles should eventually be updated with alcohol-resistant fuel lines but newer vehicles should be fine with existing fuel lines. If you have a new diesel vehicle, make sure that the manufacturer allows B20 fuel without voiding the warranty. Unfortunately, some of the newer vehicles have very sensitive fuel regulators and pumps that won’t operate properly with prolonged use of biodiesel. Make sure to check this with the manufacturer before purchasing the vehicle if your intention is to run biodiesel.

B100 – Pure biodiesel is a great choice for the environment and greatly reduces dependence on petroleum. Particulate emissions from the exhaust are eliminated and the exhaust has a much more pleasant aroma for those that are more susceptible to toxic diesel fumes. You will need to replace both supply and return fuel lines with alcohol-resistant hoses. Viton or Viton-lined hoses are a great choice. Most “high pressure” fuel hoses have an alcohol-resistant lining such as Viton or another fluoroelastomer. These fuel hoses can be identified with the “SAE30R9” designation printed on the hose. Using B100 will likely void any manufacturer’s warranty so take this into consideration when choosing this fuel option. You should also plan on having to replace any o-rings or seals in the fuel management system and injection pump in a shorter service cycle than when running diesel.

WVO Two Tank System – Using WVO as a fuel source is more labor intensive than other fuel choices. Typically, a source for WVO has to be located and may involve multiple sources depending on the amount of fuel you need. A relationship has to be maintained with the restaurant and the fuel has to be cleaned and dried properly before using it. There are extra steps to running the vehicle that have to be performed at the proper times for the car to keep running. If the fuel source is switched to early on startup or if the driver forgets to switch back to diesel and purge, the car may not start next time or significant damage could occur to the engine. If you are a good “shade tree” mechanic and are technical, this might be a good option for you. It can be fun if you know what you’re doing or a financial disaster if you’re not technical and expect it to work just like filling up at the fuel station.

WVO One Tank System – I have heard mixed results on this option. Typically, the only partial successes I’ve heard of involve using a one tank WVO system on an older Mercedes diesel. These vehicles are built like tanks and are very forgiving when it comes to fuel types and abuse. However, they are not indestructable and prolonged WVO use without proper consideration and care will eventually destroy the engine. A one tank system leaves more room for error and risk than the other options above. Proceed at your own risk.

However, some folks in the international biodiesel community have taken much of the information on the Collaborative Biodiesel Tutorial and built an even more informative site called the Make Biodiesel Tutorial.  This is soup to nuts everything you need to know to make biodiesel from building an appleseed biodiesel processor from an electric hot water heater to the best way to titrate oil.

If you are considering making your own biodiesel fuel, this is the site for you.  Read through the different sections to see if you think making your fuel will be the best fit for you!

Good afternoon,

Surprised at how much it cost last time you filled up your gas tank? You’re not alone. Millions of families and businesses across the country are feeling the pinch of rising gas prices.

Here’s the thing: as long as our economy relies on oil and as demand in countries like China and India continues to grow, we’ll be subject to these kinds of spikes in gas prices.

We’ve been down this road before — just three years ago, gas prices rose to their highest level ever. There was no quick fix to lower prices then, just as there isn’t one now.

For decades, politicians here in Washington have talked a lot about the dangers of our dependence on foreign oil, but this talk hasn’t always been met with action. And today, Americans pay a price for that inaction every time they fill up their tanks.

Yesterday, we unveiled a Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future that sets a goal of reducing our imports of foreign oil. By 2025 — a little more than a decade from now — we will have cut that reliance by one-third.

Learn more about the Blueprint and watch President Obama’s speech on energy security:

READ THE BLUEPRINT

In his speech yesterday, President Obama outlined his plan to secure our energy future by developing and securing America’s energy resources, bringing energy costs down for consumers, and innovating our way to a clean energy future.

• Increase domestic energy production. Last year, American oil production reached its highest level since 2003. And, because we can’t just drill our way out of this crisis, we’re reducing our dependence on oil by increasing fuel efficiency and increasing our production of natural gas and biofuels.
• Reduce demand for oil. Transportation is responsible for 70 percent of our petroleum consumption, so one of the quickest and easiest ways to reduce our dependence on foreign oil is to make transportation more efficient.  That’s why, in April of last year, the Obama Administration established a groundbreaking national fuel efficiency standard for cars and trucks that will save us 1.8 billion barrels of oil and save consumers thousands of dollars. We’re also making investments in electric vehicles and the advanced batteries that power them to ensure that high-quality, fuel-efficient cars and trucks are built right here in America.
• Increase production of clean energy. In his State of the Union address, President Obama set a goal that by 2035, 80 percent of our electricity should come from clean energy sources including renewables like wind and solar, nuclear energy, efficient natural gas, and clean coal.The concepts are straightforward, but the execution will be challenging. In order to make this happen, Republicans and Democrats in Congress must find common ground for a responsible and effective energy policy.

But no matter your views on this issue, I think we can all agree that the United States simply can’t afford to leave this challenge for future generations to solve.

Sincerely,

David Plouffe

Senior Advisor to the President

P.S. Check out our new Advise the Advisor video featuring Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and give us your feedback on how we can meet the President’s goal of reducing imports of oil by one-third in a little over a decade:

http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/Advise

“Today the President articulated the national security and economic threats associated with our escalating dependence on foreign oil. With the increasing price of gasoline, natural gas is an important domestic fuel at our disposal that can replace foreign oil to power heavy-duty fleet vehicles. Converting heavy-duty trucks and high-fuel use commercial fleet vehicles to natural gas can reduce our OPEC dependence now while we wait for technology to power the vehicles of tomorrow. It is clear President Obama is committed to weaning America off Middle Eastern oil, securing our own energy future and recognizes the role natural gas can play as a domestic transportation fuel. Recent unrest in the Middle East underscores the need to take action now and I’m encouraged by the President’s promise to secure America’s energy future and national security by reducing our dependence on OPEC oil.”

The Pickens Plan to encourage more heavy duty fleet vehicles to run on domestic resources is included in the NAT GAS Act, which is being prepared for introduction next week in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman John Sullivan (R-OK), Congressman Dan Boren (D-OK), Congressman John Larson (D-CT) and Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX). The pending legislation enjoys broad bipartisan support.

1. Increasing our domestic production of oil in a responsible and sound manner

2. Increasing our investment and production of next generation biofuels

Watch the video and learn more about Obama’s plans to help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil to make our country more secure.

Methanol as a Transportation Fuel

In our quest to find sources of energy to replace petroleum, it is hard not to look at other fossil-based resources that haven’t been over-utilized and are abundant in the United States and the Americas. Natural gas definitely fits the bill.  Natural gas is an excellent energy carrier and is available domestically. However, transporting the fuel and retrofitting vehicles to use it as a primary fuel source is labor intensive.  When you compare the issues surrounding acquiring and transporting petroleum from the Middle East, the vehicle conversion and transport efforts seem worth pursuing.

When investigating a project of this magnitude, looking at scale and efficiency through picking a path with the least amount of changes to affect the largest number of outputs can make the difference between success and failure.  In this light, the idea of retrofitting every single transport vehicle seems very labor intensive if the changes are significant. A more effective solution would be to transform the energy source into a fuel that can be consumed in existing vehicles with little or no modification. You make a change to the fuel that can be used in an infinite number of vehicles. This seems like the better option but is it possible?

Natural Gas is made up of more than 80% methane. Methane can be transformed into a liquid fuel called methanol. Methanol is a simple alcohol that is more energy dense than ethanol and is less likely to absorb moisture. It is, therefore, able to be transported in existing pipelines and tankers and can be stored in the same underground tanks as gasoline and petroleum.

A Sustainable Methanol Cycle

Gasoline vehicles can use methanol as a fuel with small modifications to the engine computer and by replacing fuel hoses with an alcohol-resistant, fluoroelastomer equivalent.  Diesel vehicles can use a dehydrated form of methanol called Dimethyl Ether (DME) with similar modifications to engine control and fuel hoses.  While this isn’t zero modifications to existing vehicles, the changes are minimal.

Retrofitting our transportation infrastructure to use methanol has future renewable implications as well. Methanol can be manufactured from renewable feedstocks such as biomass and can be formed through chemical recycling of carbon dioxide through selective absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere! Yes, we can make fuel from CO2 and help solve the issue of carbon pollution!

How can you help with the transition?

1. Read the “Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy” by nobel laureate George Olah to learn more about methanol and its use as a petroleum alternative.
2. Educate your friends, neighbors, coworkers and children about the benefits of methanol as a road fuel
3. Contact your state and federal Congressional representative and ask them to push for funding research for methanol.