European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 17, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                New fuels for the future  new York times n British Columbia Drivers of about 8.000 vehicles Are using natural Gas instead of gasoline to fill up fio d Ives pull in Loon of so service Slamons equipped Wilh natural Gas pumps. Because Iho vehicles Emit mostly Carbon dioxide and water Llwyn sin being hailed by environmentalists concerned Aboul air pollution in a Bah areas As a Good allo Nativo to a Solano powered cars. The 8rtlish Coti Mia experience is the most highly developed example of the use of less polluting fuels but other programs in California Washington Sale and new York City also Jollu Stralo How Valura Gas. Clcil Sicily and methanol which is now made from natural Gan can the Altra natives to gasoline and Iosef fuel. Less polluting vehicles have received More Atlon Tion since Southern California adopted a stringent air Quality program Las month that could eventually ban cars. Trucks ant buses that Burn a Solme and diesel the plan is widely regarded of a precursor of measures thai of her Urban areas will have to Lake. The clean or Issue is turning a passing fancy with these null Smalc lug cd vehicles into a genuine  said Alfred a Dellibovi administrator of the Urban mass transit  who is about to become under Secretary of housing and Urban development to he sure alternatives to gasoline powered cars will require drams lie changes. For Oil Hrco. Lusting stops would Haw to to More frequent and the a tactic vehicles White pleasingly Vihel and we ration Iron. Will probably never accelerate As fast As gasoline ears Suc changes would also require a Hugo retooling in. The Auto in Luolin act big changes in die mix of Petroleum products produced fool marketing would have id to altered too. But Al pollution or economies provides the impetus for Iho changes engineering Cip Eils say am incan Industry already has Iho technological ability to produce such loss polluting vehicles Ono Challenge incoming years will to winning acceptance among some  a vehicle for Winch fuel will nol to widely available until More Drivers sue won ova the engineering experts say the nation lacks the infrastructure to produce and support Large numbers of alternative vol vehicles like factory Assembly Linos to make the vehicles and garages to fix them. In fact manufacturing capacity is so limited that the demand Lor demonstration models has already outpaced producers ability of make the engines. The first Large lest of alternative fuels is Likely to come when the environmental pre Lection Agency implements pollution standards Tor new buses in 1391. Similar rules for trucks Are to follow in 1994. No Diese engine hew of the Market for buses ear meet the standards and manufacturers Are not sure engines can be modified to meet the rules in time. Bui Dresel engines converted to Burn methanol could Meel the standards the experts say. ,. The inventions Are All done said David f. Memon senior vice president of the Detroit diesel corp., a diesel engine manufacturer that is beginning to produce methanol and natural Gas. Versions. The invention was  n the Early 80s. We re now at tha stage of manufacturing studies production feasibility evaluation of Cost and determination of reliability and durability the electric Utility Industry has been working with Auto manufacturers to develop a Battery powered of Olric Van thai can to driven up to 70 Miles on a single charge of its batteries. Two vans Are being tested and within two years the Van could be in use by email businesses like plumbers florists and a status report on alternative fuels for cars and trucks advantages disadvantages natural Gas Eum Corr Burns More cleanly than gasoline. A liquid re Quiring Only Small Chan Ges to cars can be produced from domestically. ,. Available natural Gas or Coal. " extremely clean burning. A Domestic fuel already available in huge Quanti ties inmost parts of the country a Hough fueling stations mus be built. Near hers pollution a Point of use quiet operation vary High efficiency. More expensive than Gas Oline or natural Gas. When spilled it poofs creating v. A safely Hazard. Production produces Carbon i onide that can contribute. To the greenhouse elect. Even when compressed in tanks provides less Range Han gasoline. Current regulations restrict use in tunnels and Bridges. Currently available batteries Lake Many hours to charge do nol carry  extended operator and have limited lifetime setter batteries Are under development but costs Are High. Large scale testing in Cali fornia on stale vehicles. Other testing around . In buses. Scattered com Mercial availability of Fuet in blend with unleaded gasoline. Powers Lens of thousands of Utility vehicles. Under is in buses in scattered locations. Widely used in commercial and Pri vate vehicles in British Columbia. Scattered use by electric utilities postal service. Van design now being tested could meet the needs of thousands of users but would be higher priced than gasoline vehicles . Such vehicles Are Best suited Lor local driving because they need to be recharged overnight we re looking at putting vehicles into Niche markets said Larry o Connell manager of the Iran Portalios program at the electric Power research Institute a Utility consortium in Palo Alto calif., thai has id who Van Elloul this a the first Niche he said about the vans. Electric cars Are Ideal for Stop and go traffic according to their proponents internal combustion engines got Zero mpg when idling As at a traffic Light. But when cars Ullh electric motors arc not moving hey use no Energy. In Tacoma wash., some Pierce transit buses Iun on natural  bus lines in Brooklyn. No. Is running two natural Gas powered buses provided last year by Brooklyn Union Gas and the Utility re certify displayed a similar taxi that will enter service soon. Natural Gas engines produce almost no soot the Bane of diesel fuel and less Carbon monoxide nitrous oxides and hydrocarbons than gasoline engines. What is More the Supply of natural Gas currently 0x06603 demand. Presumably increased demand would eliminate the surplus and drive up prices bul in would also stimulate exploration. Unlike Oil Tor  demand is Mot by increasing imports Gas can be produced in greater quantities in the United slates and Canada experts say. Methanol is also cleaner than gasoline although it does produce formaldehyde and other poisons. And ii introduces unique safely problems for example if Burns without producing visible Llamas and so is usually blended with gasoline As a safety measure. However the Reade other drawbacks to alternative urls. Gasoline and diesel powered vehicles Are currently 1st cheaper to buy than those modified to run on other fuels. That Means thai initially ending air pollution with alter native Lusi cars will be More costly.  Gas arid me Hariol vehicles the problem is that they arc no roads produced with electric vehicles the technology is a step behind. Lie Irna one of my favorite commercials is an advertisement for carpets it s the one whore a child drops o piece of chocolate cake. Before it hits the Hoor his Moloci. Across he loom leaps into he air and sails in under the Palo like Wade Boggs sliding into Homo As she makes the catch with one hand hero is wild applause the ultimate nit Elmare of mothers everywhere 13 entering a non child Home. I used to look upon these Domic Tes As War zones celery Green carpets mined with gloss Coulee tables. Hockey wallpaper covering Light switches Little soaps in the guest Bath and pianos that were never played. There was always a piano after instruct Lions to Don t touch anything we con t Altott i offered my own prayer As we approached the front door. Please god Don t Lei there to a mile persian Rug to loll up in a collection of blown Glass miniatures Throe Levels of stairs and cookies that crumble could there once be a Home without a dog to Chase a  can t be unlocked trom the outside or a hostess who does t fill the grape juice to the top of the Glass forgive me but is in too much to Ash lha Iho water be Shui Olf and perchance in my  in the guest room please let him fall put of the bed before he wets on the other hand hoopla who five in non children Homes look upon visiting toddlers  balls that slobber. They have their Side. Too. A woman who if Sills on remaining Anonymous complains that people should watch their children More closely in and out lha screen door Golla go  gel a drink one Littfe Girt Kepi filling the jays taller with seeds from the Bird Leader she dumped them in the Garden. They throw rocks m the Bird Bath i gave them suckers and had to Wash the top of Trie Bench and the end table and the Lawn chairs they broke the venetian Blind Cord and the to Lief door. 1 surprised one of Thorn in the bedroom and he hurriedly armed my lipstick Back in the cover and broke it in half. They made the dog crazy and t found the Garden Hose running the next  somewhere there is a Middle ground Between parents who Are shot Lull of Novocal and Are out of it and hosts and hostesses who believe children can Ait for three hours with their Leal on the floor while big people talk about fertilizing their Trees and How the cubs Are doing  the non kids House is one of hich we All aspire where plastic turns to China and Black towels turn to pastels. It s a magic world where keys Are Tell on table tops cookie jars Are on lower shelves and the doors under the sink Aren t wired shut. Unlit then you just Tell your kids Don t dribble slobber skate talk scratch Stam doors twirl dials flush turn spigots top switches opon doors or Giggle. Just sit there and enjoy yourselves Page 16 the stars and stripes monday april 7,1989