msa 600 alternate fuel

8/3/2019 MSA 600 Alternate Fuel

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Central Michigan University

Master of Science in Administration (MSA) Program

Course Title: MSA 600 Administration Research and Report Methods

Submitted to: Dr. Moataz Fattah

Submitted by: Lakeisha Burnett

13311 Hurston Foster LnDetroit, Mi 48215

Work Phone: 313-231-5303

Home/Cell Phone: 313-231-5303

Email: [email protected]

Course Location: MSA600 Online

Submission Date: 9-11-2011

Research Project Title:

A Research on Alternative Fuel For Vehicles

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORSHIP:I certify that I am the author of this paper and that any assistance I receive in its preparation is

fully acknowledged and disclosed in this paper. I have also cited any sources from which I used

data, ideas, or works, either quoted directly or paraphrased. I also certify that this paper was

prepared by me specifically for this course.

Students Signature: Lakeisha Burnett

Instructors Comments:


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A Research on Alternative Fuel For Vehicles

MSA 600 Administrative Research and Report Methods

Submitted by:

Lakeisha Burnett

Project Instructor:

Dr. Moataz Fattah

9-11-2011

Table of Contents

Page Number

List of Tables ii

List of Figures ii

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Chapter 1 Problem Definition 1

Chapter 2 Literature Review 9

Chapter 3 Research Methodology 18

Chapter 4 Data Analysis [Future]

Chapter 5 Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations [Future]

Terminology and Definitions Page 24

References Pages 25-26

Appendix A Permission to Conduct Study

Appendix B Transmittal Letter/Survey Instructions

Appendix C Survey/Interview Questions

Chapter 1

Problem Definition

Administrative Problem

Abstract

Most people are familiar with gasoline, so they rarely question its safety.

However, many people are unaccustomed to alternative fuels and may have

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misconceptions or doubts about their safety in vehicle applications. Almost all of the

fuel we use for transportation is made from petroleum. Gasoline and diesel fuel account

for all but about one-fourth of one percent of transportation fuel. Most gasoline does

contain a small amount of ethyl alcohol (also called ethanol), which increases the

oxygen content of the gasoline for cleaner burning. Throughout this report you will

briefly learn about the various forms of alternative fuel used for Alternative Fuel

Vehicles.

Background

To reduce and control air pollution emissions from mobile sources, the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a strategy that employs the

acquisition and use of alternative fueled vehicles. Alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are

any vehicles designed to run on at least one alternative fuel. The Department of Energy

under the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 mandates the acquisition of alternative

fuel vehicles (AFVs) to decrease America's dependence on petroleum-based products

and improving vehicle efficiency is the single most effective means to reduce petroleum

dependence.

Alternative fuels are derived from resources other than petroleum. Some are

produced domestically, reducing our dependence on imported oil, and some are derived

from renewable sources. Often, they produce less pollution than gasoline or diesel.

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The EPAct identifies an alternative fuel as any fuel that is substantially non-

petroleum, which prohibits air quality degradation by producing fewer toxic chemicals

that contribute to air pollution. The United States Department of Energy officially

recognizes this list of alternative fuels:

Alcohols - ethanol and methanol.

Compressed natural gas (CNG) - natural gas under high pressure.

Electricity - stored in batteries.

Hydrogen - a very special type of gas.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) - natural gas that is very, very cold.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) (also called propane) - hydrocarbon gases

under low pressure.

Liquids made from coal - gasoline and diesel fuel that doesn't come from

petroleum.

Biodiesel - a lot like diesel fuel, but made from plant oil or animal fat.

Research Problem

With the expected decrease of oil supply by 2025 and the demand by the EPA to

create a cleaner burning vehicle to reduce carbon dioxide, the need to find an alternative

fuel has never been in more demand. The problem we have with alternative fuels today,

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is that they are not promising alternatives to gasoline. Unfortunately, the alternative

fuels of tomorrow have plenty of problems as well. Scientists must continue to research

and experiment with additional alternative fuels, and learn to accurately predict their

effects, before the world is ready for a large-scale shift away from gasoline.

This study will address the issues below:

Are some sources of alternate fuels really cleaner or cheaper?

Will the cost to purchase an AFV (alternate fuel vehicle) be competitive with

the cost of standard vehicles?

How do producers plan to handle the limited supply of alternate fuels for a

large scale conversion from gas to alternate fuels?

What are the means of improving the efficiency and performance levels of

alternate fuels?

In order to answer these sub-problems this research/study will examine the

various types of alternate fuels. The research will help to determine the cost of using

and implementing these alternate fuels and will also help to determine which fuels are

cleaner and more efficient to use. The research will attempt to provide insight on the

various types of alternate fuels available for businesses and consumers to use.

Research Objective

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Gasoline and diesel have been our primary fuels used in automobiles, farm and

recreational vehicles for decades. Our dependence on other countries to provide us with

gasoline has gone into a downward spiral with the economy doing so poorly and the

poor mileage rated cars that are being produced. Without having a certain level of

efficiency in our vehicles, we are only pushing ourselves closer to the point of needing

an alternate fuel source.

This research/study is important, because it will provide insight on less costly

and cleaner fuels that can be create and used opposed to petroleum. With oil production

expected to diminish significantly over the next 30-40 years, this research/stud will

show, that it is imperative to start getting other alternate fuel sources into mainstream

use immediately.

Scope

This research will focus on the various types of alternate fuels available. Which

fuels are cleaner more efficient and their cost.

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Chapter 2

Literature Review

Background

The purpose of this section is to research the various types of alternate fuels,

how they are used, the cost of these fuels, the benefits of using these fuels and which

fuels are cleaner and the most efficient to use.

Many countries that depended on imported fossils fuels, are feeling the pinch

caused by the rising cost of crude oil and petroleum excise duties. Add to that, 70% of

mineral oil deposits are located in politically unstable areas.

The mounting pressure from environment groups for cleaner air also gives more

urgency for the concerned agencies look for ways to make alternative fuel

commercially viable. Especially since most raw materials can be locally

sourced. Some of the fuels that many countries have considered for alternate

fuel are:

Alcohols - ethanol and methanol.

Compressed natural gas (CNG) - natural gas under high pressure.

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Electricity - stored in batteries.

Hydrogen - a very special type of gas.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) - natural gas that is very, very cold.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) (also called propane) - hydrocarbon gases

under low pressure.

Liquids made from coal - gasoline and diesel fuel that doesn't come from

petroleum.

Biodiesel - a lot like diesel fuel, but made from plant oil or animal fat.

Alcohol fuel should be considered an important part of the solution, but not

considered a universal remedy. With the supplies available, alcohol could only supply

5% of the motor fuel needs. The real advantage of alcohol is that it can be burned in

vehicles all over the world with little or no modifications required to the vehicle. This

is due to alcohol being very similar to gasoline.

Alcohol based fuel is being used more for domestic and commercial

transportation, including the airlines and cars. The need for petroleum-based fuels

could be considerably reduced worldwide. Added pluses for them is that alcohol based

fuels, as well as coal based fuels add less atmospheric pollution (Coal as Fuel of the

Future).

Natural gas is like oil (petroleum); this common fuel comes from underground.

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However, natural gas is a gas much like air, rather than a liquid like petroleum. It has

been found to be one of the most environmentally friendly fuels, and its popularity is

growing (California Energy Commission, 2006). Natural gas is one of the cleanest

burning alternative fuels available and offers a number of advantages over gasoline. In

light-duty applications, air exhaust emissions from natural gas vehicles are much lower

than those from gasoline-powered vehicles. In addition, smog-producing gases, such as

carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, are reduced by more than 90% and 60%,

respectively and carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is reduced by 30%-40%. Because of

its clean burning nature and the fact that it is not made from petroleum, as gasoline and

diesel are, many automakers around the world are developing vehicles to run on natural

gas ( U.S. Government, 2007).

Electric motors have several advantages over internal combustion engines

(ICEs) which are as followed: Electric motors convert 75% of the chemical energy from

the batteries to power the wheelsinternal combustion engines (ICEs) only convert

20% of the energy stored in gasoline. Electricity from nuclear-, hydro-, solar-, or wind-

powered plants causes no air pollutants. Electric motors provide quiet, smooth operation

and stronger acceleration and require less maintenance than ICEs (United State

Department of Energy, 2007). Electrical Vehicles (EVs) face significant battery-related

challenges: Most EVs can only go 150 miles before recharging. Fully recharging the

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battery pack can take 4 to 8 hours. The large battery packs are expensive and usually

must be replaced one or more times. Battery packs are heavy and take up considerable

vehicle space (United State Department of Energy, 2007). Charging an EV's batteries,

the car usually has to be plugged in at night, right into a regular electrical wall outlet

(U.S. Department of Energy, 2007).

Hydrogen (H2) is made by natural gas, coal, nuclear and renewable energies,

like, wind, solar and hydroelectric power. Hydrogen can also be obtained from water by

the process of electrolysis, or splitting water molecules using electricity (1997 B

Woodbury). Because of the properties of hydrogen it is a very clean burning alternative

fuel (2007 B Woodbury) Hydrogen is used in many combustion and fuel cell vehicles

(2006, U.S. Department of Energy). Hydrogen is considered an alternative fuel because

it is renewable and an abundant element on the planet (2000 P. Kushnir).

The leading production for making hydrogen fuel requires large amounts of

electricity to burn coal, and a large storage space. One problem that hydrogen produces

is the issue of making it available to consumers. The only pipeline of hydrogen is in the

Gulf States and Southern California, where there are 700 miles of pipe (2007 C

Lombardi). Both compressed and liquid hydrogen can be transported by truck or rail

and pressurized hydrogen gas can be transported via pipeline (2000 P Kushnir). Another

leading problem affecting hydrogens usage, is the short range of the cars, hydrogen

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cars cannot go no more than 200 miles between fueling using hydrogen, making this

undesirable for consumers (2007 C Lombardi). According to California Energy

Commission, (2006) liquefied natural gas (LNG) is made by refrigerating natural gas to

condense it into a liquid. The liquid form is denser than natural gas or CNG. It has more

energy for the amount of space it takes up. LNG is good for large trucks that need to go

a long distance before they stop for more fuel. LNG is made by refrigerating natural gas

to minus 260 degrees below zero to condense it into a liquid, which is called

liquefaction. The liquefaction process removes most of the water vapor, butane,

propane, and other trace gases, that are usually included in ordinary natural gas.

Propane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a clean-burning fossil fuel that can

be used to power internal combustion engines. LPG-fueled vehicles produce fewer toxic

and smog-forming air pollutants. LPG is usually less expensive than gasoline, and most

LPG used in U.S. comes from domestic sources (U.S. Department of Energy, 2007).

According to California Energy Commission (2006), LPG is stored in special tanks that

keep it under pressure, so it stays a liquid. The pressure of these tanks is usually about

200 pounds per square inch "psi"). LPG fueled engines can pollute less than gasoline

and diesel engines. LPG usually costs less than gasoline for the same amount of energy

(California Energy Commission, 2006). Propane vehicles can produce fewer ozone-

forming emissions than vehicles powered by reformulated gasoline. The cost of a

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gasoline-gallon equivalent of propane is generally less than that of gasoline; so driving

a propane vehicle can save money. In addition, propane is the most accessible of all

alternative fuels. In the United States approximately 3,000 publicly accessible facilities

offer propane. Approximately 85% of all propane used in this country comes from

domestic sources, so driving a propane vehicle can help reduce U.S. dependence on

imported oil and strengthen national energy security (U.S. Department of Energy,

2007).

Similar to oil and natural gas, coal is a non-renewable fossil fuel. As we know,

coal is formed in the earth from previous living parts (Transportation Energy, 2005).

Because coal is in the solid form, it is difficult to use in most fuels used in the different

forms of transportation. This doesnt mean that there are not ways of producing fuels

from coal. Since Germany has large coal deposits, they realized that the coal could be

used to make synthetic fuels such as oil, gasoline and diesel. These processes could

also be used today, but are very expensive.

Coal burns cleaner than other fuel, and has been given an incorrect image.

According to The World Coal Institute, technologies have been developed to improve

the environmental performance of coal-sue techniques, and that the efficient burning of

coal based fuels results in the release of fewer pollutants into the atmosphere (Coal as

Fuel of the Future). The greenhouse gases that coal produces add to less than 20% of

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any improved greenhouse effect. Today, the use of coal is the main source of fuel for

electricity generated throughout the world (Coal as Fuel of the Future). It is believed

that if coal were used more for domestic and commercial transportation, including the

airlines and cars, the need for petroleum-based fuels could be considerably reduced

worldwide. There is more coal supplies worldwide than petroleum.

Biodiesel is one of many alternative fuels that produce less carbon dioxide

emissions and produces fewer particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. With Biodiesel

consumers are offered a safer diesel than petroleum (2006 U. S. Department of Energy).

Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease.

The pre-treating of the oils and fats remove water and contaminants. The oil and fats are

then mixed with an alcohol and a catalyst (2006 U. S. Department of Energy). About

half of Biodiesel can be made using any fat or oil feedstock, the other half is from

vegetable oils, which is the less expensive (2006 U. S. Department of Energy). By using

feedstock 1.9 billion gallons of Biodiesel can be made, this is about 5 percent of the

diesel used on the roads (2006 U. S. Department of Energy).

The concept of using alternative fuels to produce diesel has been around since

the early 20th century. Rudolph Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine tried different

fuels but decided to use petroleum because it was cheap and plentiful (Radich 2004).

The idea of using soybean oil and yellow grease didnt really become serious until

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petroleum distillate started to rise in cost (Radich 2004). Yellow grease, which is less

expensive than soybean oil, would be the best fuel to use if the supply wasnt limited

(Radich 2004).

One disadvantage of using Biodiesel is the performance in cold conditions.

Diesel has an additive to reduce the diesel fuel from forming wax crystals, which can

clog fuel lines and filters. The performance of Biodiesel is worse than the petroleum

diesel because they experience problems at less temperature (Radich 2004). Overall, if

Biodiesel is made from yellow grease then it would be cost-competitive and if mixed

with soybean oil, the available supply of yellow grease will not be an issue.

Argument

Although several negatives exist with alternative fuels, scientists, engineers, and

legislators working together can overcome the difficulties and present all people with a

new alternative for fuel and make a better tomorrow. Though alternative fuels have a

few negative aspects, their positive qualities far outweigh any disadvantages that could

occur. Alternative fuels have many positive environmental and world affects, and should

be broadly researched and produced. Alternative fuels could eliminate many worries

and problems plaguing society today, making a better future for the next generation.

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Chapter 3

Research Methodology

Research Approach

For the past thirty years our country has become increasingly more aware of the

effects our energy use has on the environment. At the same time, it is clear that our

dependence on foreign oil is having significant consequences to our economy and our

national security. Yet despite alternative technologies, we still get most of our energy

from the fossil fuels. We know we have a problem, but the challenges of moving away

from the established technologies and infrastructure are monumental.

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The research done throughout this paper will help to determine various types of

alternate fuels, how they are used, the cost of these fuels, the benefits of using these

fuels and which fuels are cleaner and the most efficient to use.

To that end secondary research was my methodology of choice. The majority of

the data was collected from existing secondary sources, specifically, the Internet. The

focus of the information collection will be the various types of alternate fuels, how they

are used and the cost of these fuels.

The internet provided a plethora of information retained by theU.S. Departmentof Energy, U.S. Government and CNN. Other secondary sources that were used

included the Central Michigan University Off-Campus Library and various U.S.

government websites

Data Collected.

In order to fully understand the benefits of alternative fuels, an in-depth look

must be taken into gasoline. Gasoline is made during the refinement of petroleum. It is

composed of a long strand of hydrocarbons arrangements of hydrogen and carbon

atoms, which make it relatively inexpensive and enable it to create more energy for its

weight (115,400 BTU's per gallon) than almost any other fuel ("Clean").

Unfortunately, there is a downside to this long carbon chain. Because of its

chemical makeup, gasoline doesn't fully burn during combustion. According to a study

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done by the U.S. Department of Energy, it found that the amount of harmful emissions

that are expelled into the air, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and other ozone

depleting chemicals, that are byproducts of a car's internal combustion, are enough to

cause a theoretical green-house effect ("Replacement"). That is not the only problem

with gasoline. Many other environmental hazards occur during the process of drilling

for oil and petroleum. Oil spills cause millions of dollars worth of damages to plant and

animal life, and also take countless years to clean up.

Gasoline used to be the most financially-practical fuel. It burns more efficiently

than almost all fuels, but costs continue to rise. While that is enough to convince some

people not to switch to alternative fuels, it must be known that gasoline is not

environmentally-practical. The emissions from gasoline are causing such terrible

disasters as global warming and ozone depletion, which are both harmful to the people

and the future of this planet.

One type of alternative fuel, ethanol, is already in wide use. Ethanol is a grain

alcohol, and can be produced from grains like corn or wheat. According to the magazine

Chemology, Corn is the most popular source for producing alcohol, because it is widely

available year round in the United States and it is relatively inexpensive compared to

other grains. Not only is ethanol a wise choice financially, it is an economically safe

fuel. One source reports that ethanol's emissions are 85 to 90% less than gasoline.

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However, the process of making ethanol emits many harmful gases into the atmosphere.

Also, it has been estimated that the amount of energy it takes to make a gallon of

ethanol is almost equal to the amount that it would produce in a car.

Although ethanol doesn't have as much energy content as gasoline, it still has a

very high octane rating and can be considered a legitimate alternative source of fuel for

cars. Ethanol is a very conservative route when dealing with alternative fuels. It is very

identical to gasoline and is already implemented into most gas stations. During the

winter months, many stations use a diluted form of gasoline, containing ethanol, to

reduce the amount of pollution.

Biodiesel is a fuel created from organic oils, such as vegetable or seed oils. The

production process uses chemical reactions to create the liquid fuel. Biodiesel is an

alternative to petrodiesel and can be substituted for petrodiesel in most diesel engines

with little or no modifications to the engine itself. The fuel is already commonly added

to diesel fuel in small amounts. B20, a common fuel mixture, is 80% petrodiesel and

20% biodiesel. Many countries already have laws requiring specific percentages of

biodiesel additions to petrodiesel.

Hydrogen powered fuel cells have often been touted by advocates of alternative

fuel. In fact, when one thinks of alternative fuel possibilities, often the first image to

come to mind is a hydrogen car. However, hydrogen fuel has problems under the

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surface, which could limit its use as a fuel in the future.

While several of the other fuel alternatives have begun to show promise, they all

seem to also have distinct drawbacks. Some fuel alternatives are too costly to become a

commercially viable alternative to gasoline. Other more cost effective fuels do not

appear to meet the range of requirements demanded by consumers. Few of these sources

currently appear to be capable of matching the energy output of gasoline. Best estimates

suggest that within 40 years, crude oil resources will be sufficiently depleted as to

render gasoline commercially unviable. It is crucial that we quickly find an acceptable

replacement for gasoline.

In addition, it takes no stretch of the imagination to understand what levels of

pollution are being created by our nation's oil addiction. One only has to look at the

skies above New York City or Los Angeles to see where we have come in past century

of automotive transportation. It is easy to see that alternative fuels will be needed very

shortly to replace gasoline. Still, it is equally important that the next fuel we rely on

does nothing more to pollute the environment. In the best-case scenario, our next

national fuel should assist in alleviating our current levels of pollution.

Data Collection Procedures

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Various Types of Alternate Fuels

In determining the various types of alternate fuels two primary sources will be

used. Information will be obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy - Alternative

Fuel Data Center. www.eere.energy.gov/altfuel/altfuels.html and U.S. Government

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/current.shtml.

Cleaner and Cost Efficient Fuels

This is the primary goal of this research paper was to determine which fuels are

cleaner and more cost efficient to use. In determining this three primary sources were

used. U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/altfuel/hydrogen.html, Radich, A (2004) Biodiesel

performance, Cost, and Use. http://eia.doe.gov/oiaf/analysispaper/biodiese/index.html

and U.S. Government http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/current.shtml.

References

Alternative Fuel Vehicles: Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), retrieved

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September 03, 2011 from http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/26066.pdf

U.S. Department of Energy (2008). Alternative Fuel Data Center. Retrieved

September 2, 2011 from http://www.eere.energy.gov/altfuel/altfuels.html

U.S. Government. (2009). Alternative Fuels. Retrieved September 7, 2011, from

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/current.shtml

Kushnir, P. (2000)Hydrogen As an Alternative Fuel. Retrieved September 21, 2011,

from www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/MayJune00?M5492.htm

Woodbury, B. (1997)Hydrogen: The perfect Fuel. Retrieved September 20, 2011, from

http://www.commutercars.com/h2Frame.html

Lombardi, C. (2007) Studying the Hydrogen Energy Chain. C/net News.com. Retrieved

September 24, 2011 from http://news.com.com/2102-11392_3-6173003.html?

tag=st.util.print

(2006) U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Alternative Fuels Data Center, Retrieved September 24, 2011, from

http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/altfuel/hydrogen.html

Radich, A (2004) Biodiesel performance, Cost, and Use.Energy Information

Administration. Retrieved September 21, 2011, from

http://eia.doe.gov/oiaf/analysispaper/biodiese/index.html

(2005) U. S. Department of Energy energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

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Alternative Fuels Data Center. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from

http://eere.energy.gov/afdc/altfuel/bio_benefits.html?print

Walton, M. (2001) CNN.com. SCI-Tech. Could hydrogen be the fuel of the future?

Retrieved September 22, 2011, from

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TECH/science/03/16/hydrogen.cars/

(2005) Physorg.comIs hydrogen a viable fuel alternative? Retrieved September 22,

2011, from http://www.physorg.com/news7198.html

Milliken, J. (2007) U. S. Department of Energy, Presidents Hydrogen Fuel Initiative

FY2008 Budget Request Briefing. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from

http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/members/policy/resources/fy08_budgetBrie

fing.pdf

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http://www.physorg.com/news7198.htmlhttp://www.hydrogenassociation.org/members/policy/resources/fy08_budgetBriefing.pdfhttp://www.hydrogenassociation.org/members/policy/resources/fy08_budgetBriefing.pdfhttp://www.physorg.com/news7198.htmlhttp://www.hydrogenassociation.org/members/policy/resources/fy08_budgetBriefing.pdfhttp://www.hydrogenassociation.org/members/policy/resources/fy08_budgetBriefing.pdf

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