Any fuel source other than petroleum, propane, or natural gas is considered to be an alternative fuel. Alternative fuels include biomass-based fuels like algae fuels, stored electricity, bio-diesel, vegetable oils, non-fossil methane, hydrogen, and methane.
The storage of any fuel and the ability to deliver it as a stable working product is considered to be the industry goal. Extracting the potential from alternative fuels now and in the future is a key concern as the world starts to purposely move away from fossil-based fuels. Alternative fuel energy will be used to create heat and power that may replace conventional fossil sources.
Any fuel source other than petroleum, propane, or natural gas is considered to be an alternative fuel.
Industries like automotive, and transportation, and power generation are pushing the transformation. Most of the major automobile manufacturers now have versions of electric vehicles either in hybrid form or totally stored electricity. There are government subsidy programs that pay homeowners to install solar energy collectors on their houses. Many townships and municipalities are installing large electricity-generating windmills that create electricity to be sold back to the existing utility companies.
Worldwide concern for the condition of the earth is also accelerating changes to alternative fuels. The current opinion supports a switch to an alternative fuel to reduce carbon emissions that produce large amounts of greenhouse gasses. The goal is to reduce those emissions.
Another concern that is driving the switch to alternative energy is the potential scarcity of fossil-based fuels and the geopolitical economic impact that scarcity related costs would have on the future economy and world governments. A market based on competition and alternative choices would eliminate dependency on only a few fuel options.
