We have received many inquiries lately on the cost of fuel supplies this year. The future holds many alternatives to higher priced gasoline and diesel fuel for our trips around the country.

To obtain better fuel economy, vehicles have been downsized over the years to reduce weight, and computers have been installed to optimize the way our vehicles consume the fuel. It is difficult to downsize vehicles and still have the ability to tow that fifth wheel trailer or move motorhomes down the road to our destinations. To conserve our valuable natural resources, the industry has come up with several options that help us maintain our lifestyle and obtain more efficient use of the fuels that we consume without polluting the atmosphere. These options include diesel engines, methanol or ethanol powered engines, propane, natural gas and hydrogen powered units.

Some owners have purchased diesel engines for their vehicles to increase their fuel mileage. This fuel has undergone changes in recent years with the government mandated lowering of sulphur content and aromatics. The reduction in sulphur and aromatics has allowed reduced particulates and noxious gases to be emitted from the exhaust pipe, but greater care needs to be taken with the quality of fuel that you purchase. Try to purchase fuel only from high volume stations to be sure that the fuel you purchase is clean, and make sure that the water separator section of the filter is drained each day. If water gets through the filter system it goes right through the fuel pump and corrodes the injector nozzles. Corroded injector nozzles are not covered by warranty.

In an effort to reduce our consumption of non-replaceable natural resources, biodiesel oil has been introduced. This biodegradeable, non-toxic fuel is produced from the distillation of soybean or canola crops grown by farmers, and creates less damage to the environment when an oil spill occurs at a refinery or when a boat runs aground in a storm. The odour of burning biodiesel fuel is more pleasant than petroleum based diesel fuel. It smells similar to pop corn or french fries cooking. This new fuel has the ability to significantly reduce particulate matter (soot) in the exhaust. Biodiesel fuel reduces smoke and soot in exhaust by 31%, carbon monoxide by 21% and hydrocarbons by 47% when used in a 20% blend with petroleum diesel fuel and a catalytic converter. No engine modifications are necessary to use it. Since the present cost of bio-diesel is taxed , it is only used in blended fuels.

Propane was originally considered a waste gas released during the refining of crude petroleum. It was often burned off at the well head as insufficient storage facilities were available. Today 3,800,000 vehicles operate on propane fuel worldwide, and 22,000 conversions per year are being done in Canada. 140,000 Canadian and 450,000 US vehicles currently operate on propane fuel.

Propane is used as a fuel by police cars, taxis, delivery fleets, school buses, passenger cars and vans, and many Rvs. Propane provides a 49% savings in fuel economy, partly because few provinces apply road tax to its cost. In Nova Scotia, its price is the same as gasoline. The price is set by the industry rather than government agreement, and varies as the distance from Alberta. (Alberta supplies 80% of all propane used in Canada).

Although propane has lower BTU energy than gasoline, it has an octane rating of 104 without needing additives like gasoline. The higher the octane rating of a fuel, the more slowly the fuel burns as the piston moves down the cylinder - therefore there is less chance of pre-ignition and damaging detonation of the fuel slamming into the top of the piston (knock). The octane rating of Esso regular gasoline is 87, Esso Supreme is 92. The rating of US gasoline is often as low as 82.

Propane is a clean burning fuel, producing water vapour and carbon dioxide as waste products. It enters the engine as a gas, so it does not have to be vapourized like gasoline in a warm engine. Since there is no water content in the fuel, vapour lock in hot weather and high altitudes is not a problem or is fuel line freezing in winter.

The use of propane as a fuel reduces carbon monoxide by 93%, nitrogen oxides by 57%, and hydrocarbons by 30% compared with current federal clean air standards. Propane exhaust (water vapour and carbon dioxide) has lower ozone producing capabilities than either gasoline or diesel exhaust. Propane even reduces emissions in vehicles without emission control devices. Since non-toxic propane fuel is clean burning, engines last longer with fewer deposits in the combustion chambers, and as an alternative fuel - it is readily available today.

Over 17,000 refuelling stations exist at this time in North America, 5000 of these in Canada. In British Columbia alone there are 1,100 propane refill stations compared to 1,700 gasoline refill stations. Existing refuelling stations are capable of handling three times the current volume of business.

This month the Ford Motor Company of Canada has announced that it is taking orders for propane powered bi-fuel F-150 trucks, Super Duty F series trucks, Expeditions and Excursions with 6.8L V10 engines. These vehicles will be capable of operating on either propane or gasoline fuels with comparable power but less emissions. Ford is offering a $1500 incentive on both the F150 pickup and the SuperDuty chassis. The company has a demonstration fleet of 24 propane powered 6.8L V10 Excursions placed in twenty cities around the country undergoing testing for emission-control technology and to determine if there is a market for the vehicle.

Propane fuelled engines require about 10% more air than ones run on gasoline, so cool air ducted from the front of the vehicle is an advantage. Any dual-fuelled vehicles should be operated on gasoline briefly every month to keep the gasoline lines and seals from drying out. The fuel has extremely low sulphur content, does not contribute to acid rain, it contains no lead, and the small amounts that vent into the air at refill stations are 50% less reactive than gasoline vapours that escape. If we consider equal size fuel tanks, propane would take us 100 miles, ethanol 82.7 miles, methanol 61.7 miles, and compressed natural gas 25 miles.

Less than one percent of vehicles in the country are now operating on alternative fuels. The benefits to the environment and your pocketbook will outweigh any initial costs. Remember that air quality isn't expensive - It's priceless !