Alternative Fuels

There are more than a dozen alternative fuels in production or under development for use in alternative fuel vehicles and advanced technology vehicles. The federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 identifies six of these fuels as alternative fuels. Private entities and governmental fleets are the primary users of these fuels and vehicles, but consumers are gaining interest in them. This has helped to provide a boost for the infrastructure and availability for consumer use. When using alternative fuels as a replacement for or in conjunction with gasoline, we can reduce petroleum use and vehicle emissions. All alternative fuels can be domestically produced, and most provide significant air quality benefits when used as a vehicle fuel.

Alternative Fuels Data Center
The AFDC website provides information, resources, and tools to help you make decisions about alternative fuels and advanced vehicle options.
Alternative Fuels Station Locator
The Alternative Fuels Station Locator allows users to search for specific alternative fuels and stations that offer them. Find an alternative fuels station near you.
Clean Cities
The US DOE’s Clean Cities program advances the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to reduce petroleum use in transportation.
GREET Life Cycle Analysis Tool
GREET provides the user with an easy to use and fully graphical toolbox to perform life cycle analysis simulations of alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies in a matter of a few clicks.
USDOE Alternative Fuels Data Center- Case Studies
Find case studies and success stories about alternative transportation technologies, including alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and regulated fleets.
Biofuels
Biofuels include biodiesel, ethanol, and renewable hydrocarbon biofuels such as renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable gasoline.
Electric Vehicles
Electricity can be used to help power vehicles and equipment. Electric Vehicles (EVs) include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), all-electric vehicles (EVs), and hybrid electric vehicles.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen, when used in a fuel cell to provide electricity, can be used to power vehicles.

Alternative Fuel Basics

Air Quality Basics

Palmetto Clean Fuels is excited  to introduce a tool to assess which type of alternative fuel may be right for a fleet’s particular area or purpose. Greenlink looks forward to using this tool in the future. It’s simple and full of helpful analysis tools, making my decisions as a fleet manager a little easier. Piedmont Health Foundation was pleased to work with PCF on this initiative. We hope it will serve as a helpful resource for South Carolina fleets.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is comprised mostly of methane which is commonly captured in geologic deposits, such as shale, and from renewable sources such as landfills, wastewater, and agriculture/dairy operations. There are light-, medium-, and heavy-duty natural gas vehicles available. Compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are considered alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Adsorbed natural gas (ANG) is also an emerging technology for natural gas use in transportation. Sources of natural gas include fossil natural gas and renewable natural gas (RNG).

Propane

Propane (or liquefied petroleum gas, LPG) is an odorless, nontoxic, colorless gas. A product of petroleum refining, propane is available for vehicular use and has a high-octane rating. Like compressed natural gas, propane reduces both carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions. It is also a reliable fuel because propane distributors and farmers have used it for over 60 years. In addition, many auto manufacturers make propane vehicles, which usually cost about $3,000 more than a typical gasoline vehicle.

The distribution network for propane is well developed, and many small stations carry the fuel due to its popularity in farm and recreational vehicles.

Southeast Regional Alternative Fuels Market Initiative

The Clean Cities Coalitions from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee have joined with the Center for Transportation and the Environment and have gathered resources to help you learn more about AFVs and calculate the benefits of deploying alternative fuel vehicles as part of your fleet or daily lives.

Through the Southeast Regional Alternative Fuels Market Initiatives Program, we focus on natural gas and propane. If you are interested in electric vehicles, resources are available on the site that were developed through the Southeast Regional EV Readiness Planning Program. There are a number of opportunities for you to download the Readiness Workbooks. The workbooks provide resources and tools to help educate consumers and fleets about AFVs and to help make sure you are prepared to deploy AFVs.

Visit the Southeast Regional AFMI website for more information.