subject: Discovering The Benefits Of Solar Powered Vehicles [print this page] Due to the method in which automobiles are propelled, Americans have been dependent on the use of gasoline for many years. It has created wars between countries and created issues within the country.
Gas prices have been on a series of increases and decreases, especially since the 1990's. It has been hypothesized that wars like Desert Storm and the more recent war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan have been perpetuated because of the concentration of useful fossil fuels within those countries.
The burning of gasoline also creates a great deal of pollution in the air. Air pollution, the release of toxins like carbon monoxide, chlorofluorocarbons, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide into the air, is caused by automobiles.
This release of gases has been named as the cause of hole in the ozone layer and the creation of smog in the air. Scientists have gathered that one day, if humans are not careful about the types of chemicals that they are releasing into the air, there may not be enough oxygen or unpolluted air to sustain complex life.
Air quality was named as one of the greatest pollution factors during the year 2008. Many speculate that, if humans do not improve their usage of oil, the issue will only get worse.
Gasoline does not just power our cars; it is used in all forms of transportation. Humans would not be able to travel by airplane without the use of it.
It is extremely useful and has made the transportation from one place to another quicker and more efficient. However, there are drawbacks to using this type of fuel.
Gasoline is expensive to purchase from other countries, which makes it pricey for the consumers here that need to use it to power cars. It is also sometimes difficult to find access to.
In times of drought, like when pipes containing gasoline break or when cities are unable to obtain enough to power the automobiles of their citizens, it can get very dangerous. If a natural disaster were to strike and many did not have extra supplies of gasoline, it would be very difficult for them to travel and reach family and loved ones that live further away.
This would result in long lines at gas pumps, dangerous drivers, and possibly looting. One way to beat the United States' dependency on oil is to find alternate ways to power cars than the use of fossil fuels.
Strides have been taken in using different mediums for fuel. Diesel vehicles and cars have begun using bio diesel.
Many can also be powered by refined vegetable oils and fats, if the engine is prepared to run as such. These type of vehicles burn clean and do not create extra pollution in the air.
Another way that society is trying to fix the pollution problem and human dependency on gasoline is through the use of alternate power methods. There are a number of different cars today that can be powered by electricity.
These are meant for efficiency and not distance, but are a great choice for those who wish to lessen their carbon footprint on their way to work, running errands, to see family close by, school, or the grocery store. Electric cars are a great option for those that want to get where they are going without spending a great deal of money on gasoline and without causing more pollution.
Though the vehicles started out more as golf cart prototypes, they have developed into smaller mid-size automobiles. There are some that make use of both gas and electricity and are more powerful than their solely electrically powered counterparts.
Electric vehicles are well on their way to being completely powered by solar panels. As of now, most of them plug into an electrical charging unit or generator.
This generator charges the battery and gives them the power to go. In the year 2010, mechanical scientists figured out a way to store energy from the sun into solar panels and utilize that energy to charge the car's battery.
These vehicles are in the earlier stages and will not be available to the public after many years of tests and trials, but it is a step in a very good direction. These vehicles will be a great asset to society, for they derive their power from the most renewable of all resources, the sun.
