THE EXPERTS' FORECAST
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Beyond the diesel engine, manufacturers are continuing to research into alternative fuels, either in-house or through independent academic researchers or engine makers. But the day of the natural gas-powered or methanol-powered 38-tonne truck is o long way off, despite these fuels' extremely low emission levels.
The difficulties of the main alternative fuels are well documented. Natural gas, a popular choice for alternative fuel research, is highly explosive, needs to be compressed or liquefied, weighs a lot because it has to be stored in heavy tanks, and is expensive to make. Methanol is highly corrosive and toxic, and you need about three times as much of it compared with diesel.
it is evident that there are some forms of transport that could be run solely on alternative fuels. A lot of practical research has been done by many of the main players in the industry into the use of natural gas in buses. Buses, unlike trucks, can be refuelled every day in the same, secure, place. Long-distance trucks, however, pose a problem because they could need to be refuelled anywhere.
/ Paul Nieuwenhuis of Cardiff University believes that such fuels are 30 years away from being of practical use full-time in the haulage industry. He predicts that in 10 years there will be a move towards electric vans being used in urban areas. He thinks that for longer distances and bigger vehicles, hybrid solutions will be reached: for example, vehicles which use gas turbines as well as diesel.
• Ian Norwell of Mercedes agrees that future light commercial vehicles will run on electricity and also foresees that full-time use of alternative fuels in haulage is a long way off.
• Brian Randall of engine research specialist Ricardo votes for rape seed oil as a possible future fuel for the haulage industry. This is known as a biomass fuel. Biomass fuels don't contribute to CO2 emissions because they only emit what they consume when they are grown.