Locomotives are quite important on daily basis due to the roles of transporting goods and people from one place to another that they play. Without them, this movement would not be quite possible. For this movement to be possible, energy has to be there .Such energy is gotten from fuel which has been defined as any material either gas ,wood or fuel that is burnt to produce fuel. Energy can be gotten from renewable sources or unrenewablwe sources (Speight, 2015).
Most energy used in the modern world comes from fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas. These are referred to as non renewable sources because once they have been depleted from the earth surface, it is not possible to have them back (Kirakosyan & Kaufman, 2009).Apart from getting depleted, non renewable sources of fuel have also been classified as affecting the environment through the release of harmful gasses such as carbon monoxide which lead to global warming.
The desire to safeguard on the environment has necessitated the use of renewable sources of fuels such as wind and sunlight which cannot be depleted after a period of use (Ash & Ash, 2004).They are also more environmental friendly because they release few chemicals into the environment Which helps maintaining g the quality of the environment from deteriorating as a result of pollution.
In the recent years the desire to safeguard the environment has increased the usage of alternative sources of fuels which unlike fossil fuels do not introduce many pollutants into the environment. (Speight, 2015).
It was the desire to safeguard the environment that in 2013 prompted the Britain Governments to sigh a European directive requiring all suppliers of petrol to dilute their petrol with environmental friendly alternatives such as ethanol which would make up 10% of the new petrol that would be called E10 or green Petrol. However, Britain was not the first country to embrace green petrol. German y Government introduced the concept in their country in the year 2011 but this was met with hostility ad drivers refused to use green petrol citing potential problem that the petrol would bring about .This points out to the dire importance of creating awareness to the drivers about the petrol before making it mandatory for them to adopt it. Unless if the drivers and other petrol suppliers know about the importance of this new form of petrol, they are not likely to embrace it in totality as it is required.
Usually the type of fuel used in conventional cars has been regarded as unfriendly to the environment because of the components that it is made up of, the process that results to its formation and finally the emissions that come out after using the fuel. Green fuels have not just emerged from nowhere but they have come about as result of great deal of research by various stakeholders with the desire of safeguarding the environment for the future generations so that they too can get to enjoy life in totality without any deprivations caused by our present actions.
Green fuels are basically of two types. That is Ethanol and biodiesel. Ethanol is a type of fuel that comes as a result of fermentation of some types of crops such as sugarcane .The use of this particular type of fuel in Britain has been as result of the increase in the cost of fuel and the subsequent desire to safeguard the quality of the environment by minimizing the amount and nature of pollutants that are released into the environment. One consideration for Ethanol is that it emits les sulphur dioxide and sulphur which are attributed to global warming (Öztürk, Ashraf & Ahmad, 2015).
Apart from Ethanol, biodiesel has also been used .These are usually made from products such as Animal fats and vegetable oils which are renewable sources of energy .The use of biodiesels in the united states of America, Asia and Europe has increased in the recent past .perhaps that s a signifier of the importance that people have placed on the conservation of the environment.
In the recent years, Green house gas emissions have significantly affected the quality of the environment .Over reliance on fossil fuels by human being s has been attributed to the significant rise in green house gas emissions which have led to global warming and the gradual destruction of the ozone layer. Creation of awareness on the potential negative impact of fossil fuels on people’s lives has necessitated research to come up with more environmental friendly source of fuels to ensue the maintenance of the quality of life and general well being of the environment.
The introduction of this form of fuel into the UK retail markets was therefore promoted by the rising levels of environmental pollution associates with the use of fossil forms of fuel that have been prevalent not only in UK but in other parts if the world as well.
The introduction of green petrol in Britain markets is likely to have both a positive side and a negative side as a result of changes that will be brought about.
Positives
Cost
One of the most important advantages that is likely to be enjoyed by the users of this technology will be the cost effectiveness of green petrol or green energy .Unlike coal and other types of energy which require substantial amount so money to generate Green petrol will require lesser amounts of money to be generated (Mulvaney,2011). The reduction of generation of production costs will translate to low prices which will be affordable by all. Reduction in fuel prices ensures that all people turn to green petrol as it is the cheapest among the alternatives in the market .This will not only help in saving money for car users but also it will lead to environmental sustainability through reduction of the potential damage to the environment in the event where a large number of people are using other forms of fuels.
Economic stimulation
Unlike other forms of energy such as petroleum which may be acquired through importation from other countries, it will be possible to produce bio fuels locally thus helping inn creation of employment for a large number of people within the country (Hilyard, 2012). This will not be only in one part of the country but all over the country so that the entire consumer needs can be met. The use of crops such as sugarcane to generate energy will create demand for the crops thus boosting the agricultural sector. This in effect will stimulate the economy of the country.
Source materials
Sources of fuel such as oil have limited sources. This means that they can only be extracted from specific sources which if depleted, the supply of oil will cease. However green petrol can be gotten from plant materials which can be generated again if they are depleted. Waste crop material and other sources of green petrol materials enable environmental sustainability besides also enhancing recycling of potential waste materials .This is unlike oil which degrade the environment both in the process of extraction and after combustion where they produce emissions that are harmful to the environment.
Renewability
Sources of fuel such as oil rely on fossil fuels which are found beneath the earth’s surface .One setback for fossil fuels is that it may take million of years for them to be produced. This makes it hard for sustained supply in oil produced from such sources. After prolonged periods of use for fossil fuels, their reservoirs are likely to be depleted completely. However, new crops which are sources of green petrol can be grown on a continuous basis.
Reduction in dependence on foreign energy
Unlike fossil fuels which are found in particular countries requiring other countries to export them green petrol can be produced in any other country. The use of green petrol enables a country not to rely so much on furl exports ( Hilyard, 2012). .Such will be beneficial for Britain because besides ensuring there is saving of costs that would have been used for exportation it will also lead to security in terms of supply of fuel. One disadvantage of overreliance on exports is that continuous supply is not guaranteed .Fluctuations in prices is also very common which can disadvantage the exporting country.
Reduced carbon emissions
Another advantage of green petrol is that it produces much lesser carbon when burned. Not only do they produce lesser carbon monoxide but also they release fewer toxins into the environment lowering environmental pollution. This makes them the safest form of energy to use compared to other forms of energy.
Disadvantages
Regardless of the fact that there are a number of advantages that come as a result of using green petroleum, there are also disadvantages that can be attributed to the use of the form of energy.
Fewer miles per gallon
Quantity of energy produced
It has been found out that the use of E10 will be quite expensive because it will significantly reduce the number of miles covered per gallon of E10.Unilke other conventional fuels which can cover larger distances using the same amount of fuel, the users of E10 petrol will be required to dig deeper into their pockets for them to get to their destinations. This means that their expenses on fuel will be significantly altered which might limit their ability to cater for other family expenses.
Unlike other traditional forms of energy green petroleum produces less amounts of energy .This means that if there needs to be produced large outputs, greater quantities will require to be consumed so that the energy requirements can be met( Rynn, 2010). This might to some extent be a cumbersome task.
Engine damage
It has also been found out that the use of high contents of ethanol could possibly damage car and motorbikes engines .this will also add some additional expenses for car and motorbike owners either to repair the damaged car engines or to purchase new ones translating to new budgets for them. It has also been found that vehicles that are more than 10 years old are likely to be corroded and develop drivability problems as a result of the use of the new forms of fuel.
Incompatibility
It has also been found out that many vehicles, approximately 9 million vehicles may not be compatible with the new form of fuel which will also be a set back to the government’s efforts of reducing g the use of fossil fuels. This is also not forgetting the confusion that the drivers will be subjected to at the pump and the extra amount of cash that they will be required to pay for their energy needs to be met.
Large volumes of water needed
Because production green petrol depends on crops there will be necessity of putting large tracts of land under irrigation for these needs to be met. This means that substantial amounts of water will be used for irrigation purposes (Bret & Babusiaux, 2011). .This may make expensive the whole process.
Cost
It is also true to state that, refining bio fuels to produce energy can be a bit expensive because of the steps involved .The nature and amount of manufacturing plants required can also make the whole process quite expensive .To invest in green energy therefore requires much more capital which translates to high cost.
Shortage of food
Using big portions of land to grow food for energy production purposes could lead to food shortage by reducing the amount of land put under food crop production. This has the possibility of increasing the cost of food in the country (Carlson, 2010).
Conclusion
Whereas it is necessary to ensure environmental sustainability there are considerations that need to be put while deciding on the strategies to be used to achieve this. The use of green petrol had both its positives and negatives as a strategy of maintaining the quality of the environment. It is however difficult to ascertain whether the advantages surpass the advantages or vice versa.
References:
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