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Green Fuels

Green Fuels


Electricity

Electric vehicles (EVs) have onboard batteries that are fueled by plugging into the electrical grid or other electrical power source. They can also create their own electricity through actions like regenerative braking. Electricity produces no tailpipe emissions and is cost-effective compared to gasoline. They are convenient as owners can recharge their vehicle at home.
Plug-in EVs come in two types: all-electric or plug-in hybrid electric, which is a combination of electricity and gasoline.
Other EVs run on some electricity, although not from plugging into the grid. Hybrid electric vehicles are fueled by gasoline and produce some electricity through regenerative braking, while fuel cell electric vehicles generate electricity from hydrogen onboard the vehicle.
Clark County Government intends to have an all-electric fleet by 2050 and is taking steps to support more electric charging infrastructure for the residents and businesses of Southern Nevada.

Learn more about electric fuel from The Department of Energy here.

See what’s being done in Clark County with electric vehicles here.

Find an electric vehicle charger near you here.


Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a fuel produced from lipids like oil, fat, and grease to be used as an alternative to standard diesel. It is most often found in a blend with petroleum diesel, with blends B5 (up to 5% biodiesel) and B20 (6%-20% biodiesel) being the most common. These blends can typically be used in standard diesel engines without any adjustments.

Learn more about biodiesel fuel from The Department of Energy here.


Ethanol

Made from plant-based material known as biomass, ethanol is a renewable fuel already found in over 98% of gasoline in the United States. Ethanol can be comprised of many different types of biomass, but in the US, 94% is derived from corn. It is blended with gasoline to reduce air pollution, and the blend E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline) can be used in any conventional gasoline vehicle.

Learn more about ethanol fuel from The Department of Energy here.


Hydrogen

Although this fuel type is still in its early stages, technology does exist for hydrogen use in fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). The fuel is produced by extracting hydrogen from compounds like water (H2O) or methane (CH4). The hydrogen extraction process can create emissions if not powered by wind or solar energy, but hydrogen fuel only releases water vapor in FCEVs.

Learn more about hydrogen fuel from The Department of Energy here.


Natural Gas

There are two types of transportation fuels created from natural gas: compressed and liquefied.
Compressed natural gas (CNG) is created by compressing natural gas to less than 1% of its natural volume and then delivering it to vehicles pressurized up to 3,600 pounds per square inch.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is produced by cooling natural gas to a liquid at -260oF and then storing it in cryogenic tanks for delivery to vehicles.
The cleanest source of natural gas is renewable natural gas (RNG) which comes from organic matter rather than drilling or fracking. Methane released from landfills or farms is collected and processed into RNG, thereby reducing methane emissions at the source and delivering cleaner fuel to vehicles.

Learn more about natural gas fuels from The Department of Energy here.


Propane

Propane is a type of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) created as a byproduct of natural gas processing and petroleum refining. It has a high octane rating, can burn cleaner than standard fuel, and because it often improves engine life, propane vehicles tend to have lower maintenance costs than conventional vehicles.

Learn more about propane fuel from The Department of Energy here.

 

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