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What it is |
Environmental advantages |
Fuels |
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Biodiesel |
A liquid fuel created from vegetable oils and waste oil products.
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Renewable fuel; diverts waste from landfills; fewer GHG emissions than gasoline or diesel on a life cycle basis; non-toxic and biode- gradable
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Ethanol |
An alcohol produced from fermenting grains and other products that is blended with gasoline
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Renewable fuel; burns more cleanly and completely than gasoline or diesel on a life cycle basis; fewer GHG emissions than gasoline or diesel
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Natural gas |
A mixture of gases found in porous rock formations
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Burns more cleanly than gasoline or diesel; fewer GHG emissions and toxic pollutants than gasoline or diesel
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Propane |
A pressurized gaseous fuel that is a by-product of natural gas production
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Burns more cleanly than gasoline or diesel; fewer GHG emissions and toxic pollutants than gasoline or diesel
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Vehicles |
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Fuel cells and hydrogen |
Fuel cells generate electricity by electrochemically combining hydrogen and oxygen
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On a life cycle basis, they produce zero or very few emissions (depending on hydrogen source); no toxic pollutants; only tailpipe emissions are heat and water vapour if pure hydrogen used
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Battery-electric |
Powered by motors that draw electricity from on-board storage batteries
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No pollutants or GHG emissions from the tailpipe or through fuel evaporation
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Hybrid |
Powered by batteries
and a conventional internal combustion engine |
Fewer GHG
emissions than conventional gasoline vehicles |
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