Jul 24

Is there Kentucky Fried Fuel in your Future?
Thanks to a weird marriage between the National Renderers Association, the people who turn animal fat into useful products, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards , there is a possibility that your car could be burning chicken or other animal fat in the next few years. That’s because these two agencies have been working together to advance the development of petroleum-based fuel alternatives known as “biofuels”. According to a jointly issued report, yellow grease, lard, recycled cooking fat, and other animal-derived products have been shown in tests to perform as an acceptable alternative to fossil fuels. So far the fatty fuels have been tested in boilers, trucks, busses, and some automobiles. The results have been pretty impressive. In fact, the EPA has issued guidelines for companies who want to convert to biofuel to run their factories, power generating plants, and diesel engines. The guidelines spell out what fuels can be replaced by biofuels and what incentives the government is offering to those who take the leap. You can read the guidelines here at the EPA site (http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3ed.html). None of this alternative fuel talk has escaped the attention of the automobile manufacturers, big oil companies, or environmental groups. Everyone is looking at the possibilities in order to find a way to make some money when all is said and done. Some people are doing more than looking, however. One school district in Georgia is running their school busses on chicken fat, and some trucking companies are converting their diesel engine to burn vegetable oil. It all seems to be working out quite well. Of course, there will probably be a vegetable shortage next, and we’ll see Crisco hitting $5.00 per tub! Although it’s not likely that your next off-the-lot car will have “finger licking good” exhaust fumes, there is a great need to develop fossil fuel alternatives. Researchers aren’t just working with animal renderings and vegetable oil either. Experimental research is being conducted with hay and agricultural wastes as well. Even chicken “droppings” are getting burned. Some companies are developing conversion kits that will let ordinary gasoline engines run on animal fat or vegetable oil. The average cost for a conversion kit runs around $1,000, but the savings can add up pretty quickly when you consider that many restaurants are giving away their used fry grease for free. The main problem is finding ways to produce good mileage results and developing engines that are able to handle the effects of non-petroleum fuels. These aren’t overwhelming problems, but they still must be addressed before biofuels become mainstream. And for the conspiracy theory fans among us, there is always the possibility that “big oil” will do everything it can to stop biofuels from replacing their coveted black gold. While having to scrounge around for buckets of fat, or scraping road kill from the Interstate might slow down your travel plans, there will come a time when biofuels will be flowing from your neighborhood service stations as freely as grease from a fried chicken platter. Diane Nassy is the founder of <a href="http://www.save-on-gas-prices.com">http://www.save-on-gas-prices.com</a> . Visit her website for great tips on ways to save on rising gas prices. Email : <a href="mailto:httpdeeljeabiz@gmail.com">deeljeabiz@gmail.com</a>
Source: www.ArticlePros.com

DL goes high tech but are we ready?
Government of India under the e-Governance initiative has issued a circular for issuance of driving licenses on a smart card. This will be implemented in phases and is applicable across the country in all states and union territories. The states of Gujarat, Goa, Jharkhand, MP, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Sikkim, West Bengal, Chandigarh and Kerala are leading the initiative. National Informatics Center (NIC) along with private players have set shop at RTOs and ARTOs for issue of smart card based driving licenses. This high tech end product has its own benefits and provides a fool proof system for holding, verifying and authenticating drivers identity and other details. Equipped with hand held terminals the traffic police officers will now be able to use the smart card driving licenses and perform their duties efficiently and effectively. However, what remains to be rectified is the fact that the driving schools in India continue to provide low grade training and promote corruption by assisting learners to obtain licenses without meeting minimum criteria. The result is compromising road safety. Poor driving combined with low patience produces road rage, which is a daily occurrence on our roads. Bad driving conditions do not help reduce these incidents. Whether driving within city limits or on a highway, all of us must have seen or been an unfortunate victim of road rage. In some instances the matter has spiraled out of hand and resulted in a fatality. And, all this because of bad driving? Sometimes one is forced to think where is India headed for? A major contributing factor for poor driving and Road rage in India is the lack of road or traffic signs coupled with ignorance about their need and usage. Traffic rules are violated by all and sundry. Some people even think that jumping traffic lights, over speeding or over taking from wrong side are in things and must be done regularly to prove your driving skills. The whole process of issuing of Driving Licenses in India needs a revamp. Our model should be based on UK or UAE where getting a passport is easier than obtaining a driving license. Parthiv is the contributing author to the website: Indiandrivingschools.com-Indian Driving Schools is the first dedicated Indian Traffic Portal-Made to improve road safety through education and information about <a href=http://www.indiandrivingschools.com>Road safety in India</a>, Road rage in India, <a href=http://www.indiandrivingschools.com>Traffic rules in India</a>, <a href=http://www.indiandrivingschools.com>Road accidents in india</a> and online traffic forms in India.
Source: www.ArticlePros.com