Alternative Fuels

There are many different alternative fuel options available today, but not all are as widely availbale to find filling stations for and as cost effective as others, so we will be concentrating on those alternative fuels which our franchises are directly involved with.

However as an inditcation of all the types availale at the moment a list follows:

• Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) - This is the most "commonly known" of the Alternative fuels in use today and has the most filling stations available out of all the options.
• Bioethanol - Produced by the fermentation of starch, sugar and cellulose plants. Then used as a blend with, or as a direct substitute for petrol. A 5% blend in petrol can be used in all existing petrol vehicles.
• Hybrid - use a combination of petrol and electricity to optimise the vehicle's performance. But because they use much less petrol than traditional vehicles, they produce much lower CO2 and other emissions.
• Natural Gas  - Is better for heavy vehicle use but requires a depot based refuelling site and costs between £25000 and £35000 to convert.
• Biodiesel - All vehicle manufacturers warranty their vehicles to run on EN590 (Diesel) which can incorporate a 5% blend. Higher blends can be used with limited modifications but could affect your vehicle warranty.
• Pure Plant Oils (PPO) - Vehicles are powered on fuel made from plant oils. Very similar to diesel but a heater must first be added to the fuel line. Not yet widely available in the UK.
• Biogas  - Organic materials are broken down by a microbiological activity to produce methane.
• Hydrogen - Currently only used in prototype vehicles - a fuel of the future, which produces almost pollution-free vehicles.
• Fuel Cells - Demonstration "zero emission" vehicles - not yet commercially available (See Hydrogen)

LPG, bioethanol and hybrid vehicles are the main contenders which the Hendy Group are currently able to supply vehicles with this alternative fuel option.  Some manufacturer built, others which we have a partnership to have your vehicle converted.

• LPG

  LPG is a natural hydrocarbon fuel made up of propane and butane. There are over 1,200 LPG refuelling sites across the UK, making it the most widely useable alternative fuel availalabe today.

  

• Bioethanol

  

  By 2010, all petrol sold in the UK will contain five per cent bioethanol. Bioethanol is not new to the industry and has a long standing history with the Ford company, as Henry Ford, realizing the short future of fossil fuels built some of the early Model T versions between 1910 and 1920 to run on bioethanol, but due to the high price of the bio-fuel back then it was quashed by the ever popular fossil based Fuels.

  

• Hybrid

  

  The name Hybrid comes from how the vehicle’s engine works. Part petrol powered part battery powered the hybrid is a clever car that knows when to switch power sources.

  

• Bio Diesel

  

  Biodiesel is a bio fuel which has a totally environmentally fiendly life cycle. It is produced from crops which primarily make oil products, it is then taken through a process to have it form into the fuel which can be used.

  

In This Section

• Return to "Going Green"
• LPG
• Bioethanol
• Hybrid
• Bio Diesel

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