Transportation Exploration Student Guide

Transportation Exploration 2025-2026

Student Guide

What Is Energy?

Energy helps us do things. It gives us light. It warms our bodies and homes. It bakes cakes and keeps milk cold. It runs our TVs and our cars. It makes us grow and move and think. Energy is the power to change things. It is the ability to do work.

Energy Is Light

Light is a form of energy we use all the time. We use it so we can see. We get most of our light from the sun. Working during the day saves money because sunlight is free.

At night, we must make our own light. Usually, we use electricity to make light. Flashlights use electricity, too. This electricity comes from batteries.

Energy Is Heat

We use energy to make heat. The food we eat keeps our bodies warm. Sometimes, when we run or work hard, we get really hot. In the winter, our jackets and blankets hold in our body heat.

We use the energy stored in plants and other things to make heat. We burn wood and natural gas to cook food and warm our houses. Factories burn fuel to make the products they sell. Power plants burn natural gas and coal to make electricity.

Energy Makes Things Grow

All living things need energy to grow. Plants use light from the sun to grow. Plants change the energy from the sun into sugar and store it in their roots and leaves. This is called photosynthesis.

Animals can’t change light energy into sugars. Animals, including people, eat plants and use the energy stored in them to grow. Animals can store the energy from plants in their bodies.

Energy Makes Things Move

It takes energy to make things move. Cars and motorcycles run on the energy stored in gasoline. Many toys run on the energy stored in batteries. Sailboats are pushed by the energy in the wind.

After a long day, do you ever feel too tired to move? You’ve run out of energy. You need to eat some food to refuel.

Energy Runs Machines

It takes energy to run our TVs, computers, and video games— energy in the form of electricity. We use electricity many times every day. It gives us light and heat, makes things move, and runs our toys, electronics, and microwaves. Imagine what your life would be like without electricity.

We make electricity by burning coal, oil, gas, and even trash. We make it from the energy that holds atoms together. We make it with energy from the sun, the wind, and falling water. Sometimes, we use heat from inside the Earth to make electricity.

Energy Doesn’t Disappear

There is the same amount of energy today as there was when the world began. When we use energy, we don’t use it up completely; we change it into other forms of energy. When we burn wood, we change its energy into heat and light. When we drive a car, we change the energy in the gasoline into heat and motion.

There will always be the same amount of energy in the world, but more and more of it will be changed into heat. Most of that heat will go into the air. It will still be there, but it will be hard to use.

Photo courtesy of BP

GAS STATION

Transportation Uses Energy

Transportation is the movement of people and goods from one place to another. It takes energy to make things move.

Moving People and Goods

All around you, people are on the move. They are driving in cars, riding in buses, and flying in airplanes. Goods are on the move, too. Trucks loaded with boxes of merchandise are driving on the highway, barges full of coal float down rivers, and pipelines carry natural gas to our homes.

Transportation is the system moving people and goods from one place to another. Traveling on land (by road, rail, or pipeline), through air, or water is the mode of transport. People and goods are physically moved using modes of transportation, such as cars, buses, airplanes, trucks, barges, and pipelines.

Modes of Transportation Consume Fuel

In order for any mode of transportation to move, it must consume, or use, energy. The energy source it uses is called a fuel . Fuel is the source of energy that enables a mode of transportation to have motion. A car consumes gasoline. A truck consumes diesel . An airplane consumes jet fuel. An elevator consumes electricity. Fork lifts consume propane . Race cars consume ethanol . Each of these modes of transportation rely on a specific fuel source in order to generate motion.

Fueling Your Body

Your body is a mode of transportation that uses energy, too! You need a lot of energy to run across a soccer field. So where does your energy come from? Your body absorbs in energy from the foods you eat and drink by changing the food into chemical energy during digestion. Your body uses this energy as fuel so you can run, breathe, think, talk, and grow.

Trucks are an important mode of transportation moving goods around the country.

Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wikimedia Commons

Modes of transportation use fuel like gasoline to move.

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GASOLINE PUMP LOGGING TRUCKS

How Petroleum and Natural Gas Were Formed

Over hundreds of millions of years, the remains were buried deeper and deeper.

Heat and pressure turned the plant and animal remains into oil and gas deposits.

Energy Rich Fossil Fuels

Long before the dinosaurs roamed, oceans covered most of the Earth. They were filled with tiny sea animals and plants. As the plants and animals died, they sank to the ocean floor. Sand and sediment covered them and turned into sedimentary rock. Hundreds of millions of years passed and the weight of the rock and heat from the Earth turned the tiny plant and animal fossils into petroleum and natural gas. The energy in these fossil fuels came from the energy once inside the plants and animals. This energy came from the sun. It took millions to hundreds of millions of years to form the fossil fuels we use today. We can’t make more in a short time. That’s why we call fossil fuels nonrenewable.

an important part of our economy because they keep our goods and materials moving around the country.

Most conventional fuels are made from petroleum and are nonrenewable. If we run out, we cannot make more quickly. Someday, our supply of conventional fuels may be completely gone.

Conventional Fuels

In the United States, most transportation fuels are made from petroleum. The most common fuels are gasoline and diesel. Because they are the most used fuels, they are called conventional fuels. Almost all of

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CONVENTIONAL FUEL VEHICLE

Tiny sea plants and animals died and were buried on the ocean floor.

Note: not to scale

Alternative Fuels

Today, scientists and engineers are researching and creating a variety of alternative fuels to help meet our needs. They are called alternative fuels because they provide a different option to using gasoline or diesel. For example, biodiesel is made from animal fats or soybean oil. Ethanol is made from corn or plant materials. Both biodiesel and ethanol are renewable fuels made using resources that will not run out. Propane autogas and natural gas are cleaner burning fossil fuels. They are nonrenewable. Electricity can charge the batteries of an electric vehicle , and hydrogen gas can power a fuel cell electric vehicle . Scientists and engineers are developing new fuels and improving technologies so there will be many transportation options available.

CORNFIELD

Corn can be used to make ethanol.

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ETHANOL DISTILLERY PLANT

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E85 FUEL PUMP

Photo credit: Mariordo Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz via Wikimedia Commons

Electricity can charge the batteries of an electric vehicle.

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ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND CHARGING STATION

The History of Transportation in America

Early settlers to North America arrived on ships from across the Atlantic Ocean. Energy from the wind and ocean currents pushed their boats from place to place. People built homes and cities close to the coasts. Sailing ships on oceans and rivers was the only way to travel long distances.

In early America, settlers walked everywhere or rode horses. Very few farmers owned a horse and wagon. People and animals got their energy to walk from the chemical energy in the food they ate.

Around 1790 though, new transportation options emerged. Roads, waterways, and railroads allowed people and goods to move to other areas of the country. Historians refer to this time in America as a Transportation Revolution.

Roads

Early roads were rough. They were mainly used by farmers to move their goods to market. From 1790 to 1840, thousands of miles of private roads, called turnpikes, were built. You had to pay money to travel on them. Thousands of miles of small town roads were built during this time as well. As roads improved, the stagecoach became a common mode of transportation. Every 40 miles a new team of horses would be hitched up to pull the coach the next stage of the journey. Stagecoaches allowed people to travel more safely and quickly between cities.

The stagecoach itself did not consume any fuel. But the teams of horses that pulled the stagecoach sure needed a lot of energy to do their work. Chemical energy in the food eaten by the horses was the fuel source to move stagecoaches.

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STAGECOACH

Waterways

In 1807, Robert Fulton used a steam engine to turn the paddle wheel of a boat. This wheel pushed the boat through the water. Early steamboats burned coal or biomass (wood) to boil water and create steam in the steam engine to make the boats move. The steamboat is an important invention because it allowed boats to travel up river, against the current. Boats no longer had to rely on wind power and muscle power from rowers and paddlers to move goods. By 1830, there were over 200 steamboats moving people and goods up and down the rivers across the country. People began to travel for pleasure, and port cities grew along the rivers.

Steamboats were an important mode of transportation on the rivers. But in America, many of the large rivers flow mostly north to south. Using boats to move goods from east to west was nearly impossible until man-made rivers, called canals, were built. In 1825, the Erie Canal was completed. It was the most successful canal in America. Its 363 miles of canals crossed New York State connecting Lake Erie to New York City at the Atlantic Ocean.

The completion of the Erie Canal is very significant in American history. Canals allowed American settlers to move west into Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. There, settlers found rich farm land and natural resources. Produce, agriculture, and industrial products were transported easily, quickly, and inexpensively back to cities in the East. New York City quickly became the most important commercial city in America. By 1840, more than 3,000 miles of canals connected most major waterways in the nation.

What fueled canal boats? Teams of horses or mules walking alongside the canal would pull a tow boat loaded with cargo. The boats themselves did not use any fuel. The animals did all the work. Their energy came from chemical energy in the food they ate.

Fulton’s steamboat, the Clermont

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Photo credit: Samuel Ward Stanton via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

ERIE CANAL IN 1905

THE CLERMONT

TOW HORSES ON A CANAL

Railroads

Some cities without access to canals built railroads as a way to move goods. For many years, the vehicles moving on railroad tracks were basic wagons pulled by horses. Fuel for the horses came from the chemical energy in the food they ate. Some inventors even tried attaching boat sails to a wagon. Using the wind to push a wagon along the tracks did not work very well!

In 1830, the first steam locomotive was built in America. Steam locomotives were powered by steam engines just like steamboats. Biomass (wood), coal, and oil were the fuel sources burned to boil water and generate steam.

Steam locomotives became a fast, reliable way to haul goods and people. By 1840, there were over 3,000 miles of railroad track, mostly in the Northeast. As the railroads grew more efficient, they became America’s main mode of transportation.

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln gave two railroad companies public lands to build a transcontinental railroad. One end started in San Francisco, California, the other in Omaha, Nebraska. The tracks joined in 1869, meeting in Promontory Point, Utah. A golden spike was hammered into the track to celebrate the accomplishment. America’s first coast to coast railway was a significant event in American history. It allowed fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat to move across country all year long. The railroad industry grew to be very successful. At its peak in 1916, over 250,000 miles of track were in use, moving goods and passengers across America. But by the 1920s, new modes of transportation were emerging and the railroad industry began to slow greatly.

In 1924, the first diesel locomotives began operating. They burned diesel fuel to move. Around 1935, diesel-electric locomotives took over hauling luxury passenger cars and freight. Diesel and electricity are the transportation fuels used by these modern locomotives.

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STEAM LOCOMOTIVE

PROMONTARY POINT, UTAH

Mass Transportation in the City

Before public transportation, most people lived in cities close to where they worked and shopped. City streets were crowded with people walking, vendor carts, hansom cabs (a small carriage pulled by a horse), and delivery wagons pulled by horses. People and horses both used chemical energy in their food as their fuel to move.

The first mode of mass transportation was the omnibus. It was an extra-large stagecoach pulled by horses. About 15 people could ride at the same time. The omnibus drove a regular route around the city. People paid a fare for the ride. The omnibus was popular in American cities from 1826 to 1905. It was a lot of work for horses to move an omnibus, though!

The horses that pulled omnibuses and horsecars ate lots of hay and grain for fuel. They also left behind a lot of manure! This also created a challenge for city residents.

Engineers knew horses could pull heavier loads – and more people – if the vehicle’s wheels rolled on a set of tracks embedded in the road. The horsecar became popular in cities like New York from 1832 to 1917. It was a horse-drawn streetcar that carried more people and provided a smoother ride.

In 1873, Andrew Hallidie invented the cable car in San Francisco. A cable car uses a pulley system that moves an underground cable along a set of tracks in the road. The cable car grabs hold of the moving underground cable and is pulled up or down a very steep hill. Originally, a steam engine powered the pulley system. Huge amounts of coal were burned and used as fuel to boil water and generate the steam needed to turn the wheels of the pulley system.

Cable cars are still in use today. But now, powerful electric motors move the underground cables and keep the cars moving.

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CABLE CAR ON TURNTABLE

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In 1888, cities began to use a new mode of transportation - the electric streetcar, or trolley. The invention of the electric streetcar is significant in American history. Riding streetcars made it easy to commute into the city to work, shop, and socialize. Many wealthy families left the cities to move into brand new homes in the suburbs. As a result, some cities grew poor and became a less desirable place to live. By 1917, there were 45,000 miles of trolley tracks in the country, and millions of streetcar riders.

Other modes of transportation used railway tracks to move people from their homes into the cities, too. Steam locomotives could pull many train cars filled with people at a time. They could travel longer distances than a trolley. Steam power was replaced by electric locomotives which were cleaner and quieter. They could travel through tunnels beneath city streets and buildings. Underground railways are known as subways. Some cities built railways high above the streets. Elevated rail lines cost less to build than digging tunnels under existing cities. Today, many large cities continue to provide subway, elevated train, and commuter train services. All of these use electricity as fuel to make them move.

In 1905, the first gasoline-powered bus began operating in New York City. Buses quickly replaced horse-drawn vehicles on city streets. As bus service expanded in the 1920s and 1930s, it replaced many electric trolley lines, too. Early buses used an internal combustion engine to burn their fuel source inside of the engine. Petroleum products – gasoline or diesel – were the fuels that powered their engines. Today, many buses in cities operate using alternative fuels like compressed natural gas, diesel-electric hybrid, biodiesel, propane, and electricity. These fuels give buses the power to move.

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Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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PUBLIC BUS FUELED BY NATURAL GAS

ELEVATED TRAIN

ELECTRIC STREETCAR

The Automobile

Around 1900, automobiles began being driven on city streets. At first, only wealthy people owned cars. They were used for recreation and short trips in the city. The first cars built in America were powered by either steam engine or electric motor.

A steam car burned biomass (wood), coal, or kerosene oil to heat water in a boiler and generate steam. Inside the steam engine, the steam pushed pistons that turned a crankshaft, which turned the wheels of the car. Steam cars needed to be refilled with water very often, and took a while to heat up before the car could run.

Electric cars used rechargeable batteries to power an electric motor. Electric cars were quieter, easier to drive, and smelled better than other cars at the time, but could only travel short distances before the batteries ran out. The batteries recharged using electricity. Electricity is the fuel that moved electric cars. In the early 1900s, most cities were generating electricity with coal-burning power plants. Some cities had hydroelectric power plants.

Steam cars and electric cars disappeared from the roads as internal combustion engines became popular. These cars burned gasoline to power their engines. In 1908, Henry Ford invented the moving assembly line and mass produced the Model T. This car was less expensive than electric cars and widely available. The average American could own and drive an automobile. The internal combustion engine quickly became the standard engine, and is still in use today.

Although there were many public transportation options available in the early 1900s, Americans chose to drive automobiles. This tradition continues today. Now, there are about 267 million personal cars and trucks on our roads. Most of these vehicles burn gasoline for fuel.

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FORD MODEL T

STURGIS ELECTRIC CAR

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Long Distance Dog

In 1903, a bulldog named Bud took the first road trip across America. Of course he was with his owner, Horatio Nelson Jackson, and a mechanic named Sewall Crocker. It took 63 days for them to drive from California to New York. There were very few roads, and bridges were built for horses and wagons, not cars. They often had to dig the car out of mud. When the car broke down, they had to wait for parts to arrive by train and fix the car themselves. Their car used gasoline to move.

America’s first cross country road, the Lincoln Highway, was not built until 1913, and was not complete until 1928. It stretched 3,400 miles from New York City to San Francisco. You can still travel the Lincoln Highway today.

Other Transportation Modes and Fuels

Orville and Wilbur Wright, two brothers from Ohio, achieved the first successful airplane flights in 1903 on the beaches of North Carolina. The first flight lasted only 12 seconds! The jet engine was invented in the 1930s, allowing airplanes to travel at higher altitudes and greater distances. But it was not until the 1950s and 60s that air travel became a common mode of transportation. In 2023, about 862 million people flew on an airplane in the U.S.! Large airplanes use jet fuel, a petroleum product, as

In some countries, people travel on highspeed Maglev trains . Maglev is short for magnetic levitation. Instead of steel wheels and train tracks, a Maglev train actually floats a few centimeters over a special track, called a guideway.

How can a train float? There are magnetized coils of wire in the walls and floor of the guideway. There are also large magnets underneath the train cars. As these magnets repel against the coils, it levitates the train. When an electric current is sent to the magnetic coils in the guideway, it creates a magnetic field that pulls and pushes the train forward. Since a Maglev train floats on air, there is no friction.

Bud, on the first roadtrip across America, in the America on the Move exhibit at the National Museum of American History.

First flight of the Wright Flyer I, December 17, 1903

BUD THE DOG

WRIGHT FLYER I

Photo Credit: C. Welchko for NEED

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The train can travel up to 500 kilometers per hour (about 310 mph). A Maglev train has no engine and uses only its powerful electromagnets as its transportation fuel. You may already know that uranium is used in nuclear power plants to generate electricity. But did you know nuclear power is a transportation fuel, too? The first nuclearpowered submarine, the USS Nautilus, first sailed in 1955. Today, all of the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers and submarines are nuclearpowered. A nuclear reactor inside of the ship generates electricity to power propulsion systems and electric motors.

Astronauts headed into space need a very powerful transportation fuel to get them into orbit. NASA used liquid hydrogen as a transportation fuel during the space shuttle program from 1981-2011. Liquid hydrogen burned in the main engines during lift off and ascent. Burning the hydrogen pushed the space shuttle over 27,358 kilometers per hour (17,000 mph) to reach orbit. While liquid hydrogen fueled the space shuttle missions, today, NASA scientists are developing new rocket fuels to make launching space craft a more “green“ process.

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Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Image credit: NASA via Wikimedia Commons

MAGLEV TRAIN

USS NAUTILUS

SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS

Moving Toward Alternative Fuels

In 1992, our government passed a set of rules, known as the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The Act made it a requirement for certain car fleets to use vehicles that can run on alternative fuels. The Act defined which fuels are considered alternative fuels. It also gave tax deductions to consumers buying vehicles that use alternative fuels. These laws forced auto manufacturers, petroleum refineries, businesses, and consumers to accept alternative fuels.

Since 2005, petroleum refiners and blenders have been required by federal law to include renewable sources of energy in their fuels. This began with the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which created a new program, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). More rules were added to the program in 2007 under the Energy Independence and Security Act. The Renewable Fuel Standard requires renewable fuel to be blended into transportation fuel in increasing amounts each year – up to 13% of petroleum-based fleets by 2025. It also requires the renewable fuels used to emit lower levels of greenhouse gases than the petroleum fuel it replaces.

Be a Wise Consumer

There are several automobile transportation fuels available today. Some are conventional and some are alternative. Some are made from renewable sources of energy, and others come from nonrenewable resources. Each type of fuel has advantages and disadvantages, and each fuel has positive and negative environmental impacts. Even though you may not be able to drive a car yet, educating yourself about fuel and vehicle choices is a wise thing to do. In only a few years, you’ll be deciding what car you want to buy and what fuel you’ll use to power it!

TRAFFIC

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Petroleum Fuels – Gasoline and Diesel

How are Gasoline and Diesel Made?

The petroleum fuels we use today started out as tiny sea plants and animals that died and were buried on the ocean floor. Over hundreds of millions of years, the remains were buried deeper and deeper. Heat and pressure turned the plant and animal remains into crude oil and gas deposits. Today, companies pump crude oil from the ground and send it to a petroleum refinery

A petroleum refinery is a huge industrial facility. People work there every hour of every day of the year. On the property is a tank farm where the crude oil is stored, in large tanks, until the refinery is ready to use. Then, a pipeline brings the crude oil into the refinery for processing. It is separated and changed into many different petroleum products. Once made, products are stored at the tank farm again until they are shipped by pipelines, trains, or trucks to customers across the country.

Most petroleum refineries make transportation fuels. Gasoline is the number one product they make. Diesel fuel is second. However, this fuel is not usually finished at the refinery. Next, they are shipped from the refinery to a blending terminal, where more products are added. For example, ethanol is added to gasoline because of a federal law that requires blenders to include renewable sources of energy in gasoline. Finally, the gasoline and diesel fuel are loaded onto tanker trucks and driven to gas stations for customers to buy.

Petroleum is a fossil fuel. It is nonrenewable. Since gasoline and diesel are made from petroleum, they are nonrenewable fossil fuels.

PETROLEUM REFINERY

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Rudolf Diesel

A French-German engineer, Rudolf Diesel, wanted to build a new type of engine. He built his first model in 1893. He improved the design until he had a working engine in 1897. This engine powered industrial machines and generated electricity. It was a huge success. In 1913, Rudolf Diesel mysteriously disappeared while sailing across the English Channel. The engine Diesel invented wasn’t commonly used in trucks for transportation until decades after his death. The diesel engine in use today is an improved version of Rudolf Diesel’s original design.

Gasoline and Diesel are Important Transportation Fuels

In the United States, about 243 million cars and pickup trucks run on gasoline. It is used by motorcycles, boats, and recreational vehicles, too. There are 142,000 stations where you can buy gasoline. Our cars consume a lot of gasoline to get us where we want to go. Hard working vehicles, like semi-trucks, buses, trains, and ships, are built with powerful diesel engines that run on diesel fuel. Diesel fuel is very important because it moves America’s freight around. It is also used to move public buses and school buses. About 7 million passenger cars and pickup trucks have diesel engines. They can purchase diesel fuel at about 71,000 stations in America.

There are pros and cons to using gasoline and diesel fuel for transportation. Gasoline and diesel fuel contain a lot of energy. Cars and trucks can drive many miles on a gallon of fuel. Refueling is very convenient since there are so many stations throughout the country.

However, gasoline and diesel fumes are flammable. They can catch on fire easily. Gasoline is toxic. It can make you very sick if you breathe in the vapors or get it on your skin. Burning fossil fuels is harmful to the environment, and produces greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Since petroleum is nonrenewable, we might run out someday.

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How Do Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Affect the Environment?

Vehicles burning gasoline or diesel fuel produce harmful emissions and pollutants. One emission, ground-level ozone, causes smog and leads to poor air quality. Breathing it causes many health problems, especially for people who have asthma or lung diseases. Air toxics are other pollutants known to cause cancer. Air pollution affects the health of millions of people, especially those who live near busy roads.

Gasoline does not easily mix or dissolve in water. If it spills, it can’t be washed down the drain because it’s hazardous. It is not biodegradable either, which means it is not broken down naturally by bacteria, fungi, or other organisms, like a dead tree rotting in the forest. Gasoline spills must be soaked up with special cloths or clay cat litter and taken to a hazardous waste facility for disposal. Any gasoline that spills and evaporates contributes to air pollution.

Another harmful pollutant is soot, a particulate matter. Soot particles lead to poor air quality. It causes the haze visible in the sky over many cities. Particulate matter pollutes fresh and coastal waters, contaminates farmland and natural ecosystems, and causes acid rain.

Burning gasoline and diesel releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. The buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is causing Earth’s atmosphere to trap extra heat and cause changes to the world’s climate. These changes impact the environment and all living things.

Vehicles burning gasoline or diesel fuel produce harmful emissions and pollutants. Areas with lots of traffic are most likely to have smog. HEAVY

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What’s Next for Gasoline and Diesel Fuel?

Engineers are developing new technologies like engines that are more efficient and produce fewer emissions. They are also developing diesel-electric hybrid trucks. These trucks are powered by diesel and an electric motor. Vehicles in the future will use less fuel, run on cleaner fuels, and give off less emissions. Ultimately, scientists want cars, trucks, and buses to produce zero emissions.

Scientists and engineers are researching cleaner vehicle fuels, too. Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from corn. Ethanol is blended into all gasoline used in America. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils and animal fats. It is also a renewable fuel. It is blended into regular diesel fuel and is used by diesel vehicles. Renewable diesel is a newer alternative fuel. Currently, only a small amount is being made each year. It can be used in diesel engines alone or blended first with biodiesel or regular diesel.

Using renewable biofuels in cars and trucks will lower their carbon dioxide emissions even further. We will see more vehicles running on renewable biofuels in the future.

B-99 REFUELING STATION

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Biofuels

How are Biofuels Made?

Biofuels are made from biomass, a renewable resource, so they are renewable transportation fuels. The two biofuels we use the most are ethanol and biodiesel.

Ethanol is the number one biofuel we make. It is made at an ethanol production facility using a process called fermentation. In the U.S., we use corn grain to make ethanol. Other countries use sugar cane, switchgrass, or wood chips to make ethanol. First, corn grain arrives at an ethanol production facility. Next, the fermentation process changes the starch in corn kernels into an alcohol fuel. Once made, ethanol is moved by train, truck, or barge to a fuel terminal where it is mixed into gasoline. Finally, trucks move the blended fuel to gas stations where customers can buy it.

Biodiesel is the second most used biofuel. It is made at a biodiesel refinery, during a process that converts fats and oils into other products. A biodiesel refinery is a huge industrial facility. People work there every hour of every day of the year. Biodiesel can be made from used cooking oil, agricultural oils, and animal fats. In the U.S., we mostly use soybean oil. First, the oil is delivered to the refinery by trucks, train, or barge. It is stored in large tanks until the refinery is ready to use it. When the oil enters the refinery, it goes through several processes. Unwanted water is removed. Chemicals are added. A chemical reaction changes the soybean oil into new products, including biodiesel.

The biodiesel is purified even further and sent back to the large tanks for storage. During every step of the process, employees test the quality of the products. Finally, biodiesel goes by truck, train, or barge to fuel terminals where it is mixed into diesel, and on to gas stations where customers can buy it.

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SOYBEAN FARM

Biofuels are Important Transportation Fuels

Did you know, the very first car built by Henry Ford in 1896 was fueled by ethanol? Today, there is a law that requires gasoline to contain renewable fuel. A small amount of ethanol is blended into all gasoline sold in America.

Some cars and pickup trucks are factory built to run on an ethanol blend called E85 or regular gasoline. They are called flexible fuel vehicles. For years, E85 has been used by fleet vehicles. The public can purchase flexible fuel vehicles, too, and fill up with E85 at some gas stations around the country. E85 gas pumps are always yellow.

When Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel engine in 1897, he experimented with using vegetable oils for fuel. Today’s biodiesel is named after him. Biodiesel is blended into petroleum diesel for use in diesel engines. A common blend is B20. Pure biodiesel is called B100.

Biodiesel is a good option for fleets with their own refueling stations. Some government fleet vehicles powered by B20 include public school buses, city transit buses, snowplows, garbage trucks, U.S. Postal Service mail trucks, and military vehicles. Private companies and utility companies use B20 in their fleets, too, powering ferries, delivery trucks, and utility trucks.

What Is a Fleet?

There are a few other biofuels that fleets use for transportation, today. These include renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel, renewable jet fuel and renewable gasoline. Renewable diesel is made by chemically processing vegetable oils and animal fats. It is chemically like regular diesel. It can be used in any diesel engine or blended with petroleum diesel. Only a few plants make renewable diesel in the U.S. today. Almost all of it is used by vehicles in California, to help meet state rules requiring the use of low-carbon fuels. Some fleet vehicles using renewable diesel include fire trucks, waste removal trucks, commercial trucks, school buses, and freight trains. It can also be used by farm tractors and construction vehicles. Renewable diesel is available for sale to the public at a growing number of gas stations in California and Oregon.

A fleet is a group of vehicles owned and maintained by a business, government agency, or organization. Employees drive fleet vehicles to do their work, such as making deliveries or driving to a jobsite. For example, your local police department or sheriff’s office has a fleet of police cars. Officers drive the police cars during their shifts.

E85 FUEL PUMP

Photo Credit: Mariordo Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz/ Wikimedia Commons

There are pros and cons to using biofuels for transportation. Biofuels can be made in the United States, creating jobs. Biofuels are renewable. Using biofuels reduces the amount of gasoline and diesel we use. These petroleum fuels are nonrenewable and could run out some day. Diesel vehicles can run on renewable diesel or biodiesel without hurting the engine. They get the same – or even better – fuel economy as petroleum diesel. Biofuels are cleaner burning. They produce less air pollutants and emissions. Producing and using biofuels is better for the environment, however they still have an impact. Biofuels are a convenient option for fleets with their own fueling stations, but it might be harder for the public because biofuels are only sold at some fueling stations across the country. Some biofuels don’t have as much energy in them as traditional fuels.

How Do Biofuels Affect the

Environment?

Pure ethanol and biodiesel are nontoxic and biodegradable. If spilled, they break down into harmless substances.

In general, producing and using biofuels is better for the environment than fossil fuels. However, they do have an impact. For example, some emissions evaporate easily from ethanol. These emissions escape into the air from a car’s fuel tank or from the fuel pump. These harmful emissions can lead to smog. Also, burning biodiesel gives off more nitrogen oxide emissions than burning petroleum diesel.

Photo Credit: Tomás Del Coro via Wikimedia Commons

Vehicles burning biofuels produce harmful emissions and pollutants such as ozone, air toxics, and particulate matter. These can lead to poor water quality, acid rain, and climate change. Ground-level ozone causes smog and leads to poor air quality. Breathing smog can cause many health problems, especially for people who have asthma or lung diseases. Air toxics are pollutants known to cause cancer. Air pollution affects the health of millions of people, especially those who live near busy roads.

Another harmful pollutant is soot, a particulate matter. Soot particles lead to poor air quality. It causes the haze visible in the sky over many cities. Particulate matter pollutes fresh and coastal waters, contaminates farmland and natural ecosystems, and causes acid rain.

Burning biofuels releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. The buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is causing Earth’s atmosphere to trap extra heat and cause changes to the world’s climate. These changes impact the environment and all living things.

What’s Next for Biofuels?

Scientists are conducting experiments to develop and test new biofuels. For example, scientists are studying ways to make biodiesel from algae. Algae grows quickly and takes up less space than other biomass crops. Scientists are conducting experiments to develop cleaner biofuels, too. For example, scientists are also studying ways to fuel cargo ships using biofuels. This will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the shipping industry.

Scientists are conducting experiments to increase the energy content of biofuels. For example, chemists are using biomass to create new chemicals. The chemicals are added to renewable jet fuel to give it more energy. The added energy helps planes carry more cargo and fly farther.

Soon, we will be using these new biofuels for transportation. Experts believe we will continue to use more and more biofuels every year.

MICROALGAE

Photo courtesy of CSIRO via wikimedia commons

Propane Autogas

How Is Propane Autogas Made?

The petroleum fuels we use today started out as tiny sea plants and animals that died and were buried on the ocean floor. Over hundreds of millions of years, the remains were buried deeper and deeper. Heat and pressure turned the plant and animal remains into crude oil and gas deposits. Propane is mixed with crude oil and natural gas when it comes from the ground.

There are two ways to make propane, at a natural gas processing plant or at an oil refinery. Both are huge industrial facilities. People work there every hour of every day of the year. They separate natural gas or crude oil into petroleum products.

Most propane (C3H8) is made from natural gas. A pipeline brings natural gas to the processing plant. The natural gas is cooled and pressurized. Some of it changes into a liquid and separates out. The liquid is separated even more, creating different products. One product is propane.

Natural gas and petroleum are fossil fuels. They are nonrenewable. Since propane is made from natural gas and petroleum, it is also a nonrenewable fossil fuel.

Propane Autogas is an

Important Transportation Fuel

Propane has many uses. When it is used for transportation, it’s called autogas.

Autogas is an important transportation fuel for fleets. There are propane-powered police cars, taxis, school buses, and delivery trucks. Utility companies, government agencies, and public transit agencies are required by law to fuel their fleets using some alternative transportation fuels. They can purchase propane vehicles and use autogas to meet this requirement. Fleets can refuel using public propane stations or build their own refueling stations on-site.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy

PROPANE VAN

PROPANE TANKS

Photo courtesy of patboon/Adobe Stock

Dr. Walter Snelling

Propane has been around for millions of years, but no one knew it. Dr. Walter Snelling, an American scientist, discovered propane in 1912. He also discovered that cooling and pressurizing the gas changed it to a liquid. It is easier to store and move propane as a liquid.

Autogas is the world’s third most common transportation fuel after gasoline and diesel. Even though it is not widely used in America, it is a popular fuel in other countries, like Turkey, Russia, and South Korea.

There are pros and cons to using autogas for transportation. Autogas is a safe, clean fuel. It is nonpoisonous. It is less flammable than gasoline. Autogas contains a lot of energy. It burns cleaner than gasoline or diesel. Vehicles burning autogas may produce less air pollution and less greenhouse gas emissions than vehicles burning other petroleum fuels. Propane is made in the United States. Using it costs less than using gasoline or diesel. Autogas is an approved alternative fuel.

Autogas contains less energy per gallon than gasoline. This means propane vehicles have less fuel economy. One gallon of autogas powers a vehicle less miles than one gallon of gasoline. Autogas vehicles will need to fill up more often.

In the United States, auto manufacturers build propanepowered trucks, buses, forklifts, and industrial equipment, but they do not build any propane cars, vans, or pickup trucks. After purchasing a car, the engine must be converted to run on autogas. This is an added expense. Burning fossil fuels like propane harms the environment. Our supply of propane depends on our supply of petroleum and natural gas. Since they are nonrenewable, we might run out someday.

How Does Propane Autogas Affect the Environment?

Propane is nontoxic. If released as a liquid or vapor, it doesn’t harm soil, surface water, or ground water. It will not harm freshwater or saltwater ecosystems and won’t harm birds or animals if they accidentally breathe it. Propane is considered clean and environmentally friendly in its unused state.

Vehicles burning propane autogas produce harmful emissions and pollutants. Ground-level ozone causes smog and leads to poor air quality. Breathing smog it causes many health problems, especially for people who have asthma or lung diseases. Air toxics are pollutants known to cause cancer. These are produced when burning autogas. Air pollution affects the health of millions of people, especially those who live near busy roads.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Another harmful pollutant is soot, a particulate matter. Soot particles lead to poor air quality. It causes the haze visible in the sky over many cities. Particulate matter pollutes fresh and coastal waters, contaminates farmland and natural ecosystems, and causes acid rain.

Burning propane autogas releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. The buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is causing Earth’s atmosphere to trap extra heat and cause changes to the world’s climate. These changes impact the environment and all living things.

What’s Next for Autogas?

Engineers are developing new autogas technologies like engines that are more efficient and produce less emissions. They are also developing autogas-electric hybrid vehicles. These cars are powered by autogas and an electric motor.

Scientists have also developed a renewable source of propane. Using renewable propane in cars and trucks will lower their carbon dioxide emissions even further. We will see more vehicles running on renewable propane in the future.

Image courtesy of rdaniluk/Adobe Stock

PROPANE REFUELING STATION

Natural Gas

How Is Natural Gas Made?

Long ago, tiny sea plants and animals died and were buried on the ocean floor. Over hundreds of millions of years, the remains were buried deeper and deeper. Heat and pressure turned the plant and animal remains into crude oil and natural gas deposits. Today, companies find natural gas in underground rock formations. They remove it through a well drilled into the rock. Straight from the ground, natural gas is a mixture of liquids, gases, and solids. It is sent through a large pipeline to a natural gas processing plant.

A natural gas processing plant is a huge industrial facility. People work there every hour of every day of the year. At the plant, natural gas is cleaned and separated into different products. One product is the natural gas we use for energy. It is mostly made of methane (CH₄). Natural gas is shipped by pipeline across the country.

Some places that need natural gas are not reachable by pipeline. Cooling natural gas to about -260° F changes it into a liquid. We call this product liquefied natural gas (LNG). To export, or sell, natural gas to another country, LNG is loaded onto a special tanker ship, called an LNG carrier. It is stored in large, supercooled tanks as it moves across the ocean. When it arrives at an import terminal, the LNG is offloaded from the ship and stored in super-cooled tanks on land. As needed, LNG is removed from the tanks, changed back into a gas, and moved by pipeline to its destination. Natural gas is a fossil fuel. It is nonrenewable.

Image courtesy of Oatthapon/Adobe Stock

Image courtesy of Yellow Boat/Adobe Stock

NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANT

LNG TANKER

Natural Gas Is an Important Transportation Fuel

Natural gas has many uses, like making electricity and heating our homes. Only a small amount is used for transportation. For example, natural gas powers the compressors that move products through pipelines. We also use compressed and liquefied natural gas as fuels for vehicles. Natural gas used for transportation is an alternative fuel.

There are about 25,000 natural gas-powered vehicles in the United States. Most belong to government fleets or private businesses. Utility companies, government agencies, and public transit agencies are required by law to fuel their fleets using some alternative transportation fuels. They can use natural gas to meet this requirement. Fleets can refuel using a public natural gas station or build their own private station.

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is made at a fueling station using either fast or slow technology. Fast-fill technology compresses natural gas and stores it in high-pressure tanks. Vehicles refuel quickly, which is good for personal cars and fleets of taxi cabs or city buses that refuel throughout the day. Time-fill technology compresses the natural gas as a vehicle is fueling. It’s a slower process. A fleet of school buses, parked overnight, could refuel this way.

Some trains, city buses, school buses, garbage trucks, and recycling trucks run on CNG. In 2024, there were about 730 public CNG fueling stations in the U.S. You can fuel a car with CNG at home by installing a small appliance to your home’s natural gas line.

Liquefied natural gas is delivered to fueling stations by tanker trucks. Extra safety precautions are required when fueling an LNG vehicle since LNG is stored and dispensed as a supercooled, liquefied gas. Liquefied natural gas is used by ships, trains, trucks, and buses that travel long distances. They are built with special fuel tanks to hold the LNG. In 2024, there were about 90 LNG fueling stations in the U.S.

Even though it isn’t widely used in America, natural gas is a popular fuel in other countries. Worldwide, about 23 million vehicles run on natural gas.

There are advantages to using natural gas for transportation. Most natural gas we use in the U.S. is produced in the U.S. We have a system of pipelines in place across the country. This allows natural gas to move quickly from where it is made to where it is needed. Another advantage is that CNG and LNG are clean burning fuels. Both are approved alternative fuels.

CNG FUELING STATION

Image courtesy of U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Susan Cornellvia Wikimedia Commons

There are disadvantages to using natural gas for transportation, too. In the United States, auto manufacturers build natural gas-powered trucks and buses, but they don’t build any natural gas-powered cars, vans, or pickup trucks. After purchasing a car, the engine must be converted to run on CNG. This is an added expense. Another disadvantage is that natural gas vehicles can’t drive as far on a tank of fuel, and there are not many refueling stations. Fleets may need to install their own natural gas infrastructure, which can be costly. Another disadvantage is that burning fossil fuels harms the environment. Finally, our supplies of CNG and LNG depend on our supply of natural gas. Since it is a nonrenewable resource, we might run out someday.

How Does Natural Gas Affect the Environment?

Drilling into the earth, extracting natural gas, refining it into products, transporting it through pipelines, and burning it as fuel, all impact the environment. There are rules in place to keep natural habitats, ecosystems, and people safe. However, natural gas can still leak from abandoned wells and other infrastructure. The natural gas industry has to work to make sure pipelines and equipment are not leaking natural gas. Occasionally it must be burned, or flared, to release the pressure to keep people safe.

Vehicles burning CNG and LNG produce harmful emissions and pollutants like ozone and air toxics. Ground-level ozone causes smog and leads to poor air quality. Breathing smog can cause many health problems, especially for people who have asthma or lung diseases. Air toxics are pollutants known to cause cancer. Air pollution affects the health of millions of people, especially those who live near busy roads.

Another harmful pollutant is soot, a particulate matter. Soot particles lead to poor air quality. It causes the haze visible in the sky over many cities. Particulate matter pollutes fresh and coastal waters, contaminates farmland and natural ecosystems, and causes acid rain.

Burning natural gas releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. The buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is causing Earth’s atmosphere to trap extra heat and cause changes to the world’s climate. These changes impact the environment and all living things.

Many popular National Parks shuttle visitors in clean burning CNG buses. Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Park Service

CNG FUELED BUS

What’s Next for Natural Gas?

Scientists are researching ways to lower the cost of using natural gas to power fuel cells. A fuel cell is a piece of technology that makes electricity. The electricity can drive an electric vehicle. Fuel cells do not release carbon dioxide emissions or air pollution as they generate electricity, only water and heat.

Scientists have created a renewable source of natural gas called biomethane. It is made from decomposing plant and animal waste, sewage, and municipal solid waste. Blending a small amount of biomethane with traditional natural gas lowers the fuel’s environmental impact. Biomethane could become an important source of renewable natural gas vehicle fuel.

Scientists and engineers are developing new technologies so ships and trains can benefit from using natural gas for fuel. For example, in the railroad industry, engineers are building and testing locomotive engines fueled by LNG and diesel. In the marine industry, LNG is already in use fueling a few tanker ships sailing around the world. In the U.S., large ships such as tugboats, ferries, and container ships will benefit from using CNG and LNG to help them meet emissions standards set by the government. Hybrid ferries and car carriers are also in development. These hybrid ships are fueled by both natural gas and bunker fuel oil.

Many cities use garbage trucks powered by compressed natural gas.

Photo courtesy of WM WASTE MANAGEMENT TRUCKS

Hydrogen

How Is Hydrogen Made?

The most common way to make hydrogen is steam-methane reforming. This process happens at a natural gas refinery. Natural gas has a chemical called methane in it. When natural gas and high-temperature steam mix, the methane changes into different products. One product is hydrogen, another is carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide goes through more processing, which produces more hydrogen.

In the United States, hydrogen is used by industries that refine petroleum, make fertilizer, and process foods. These industries usually make the hydrogen they need at the facility where they’re going to use it. A small amount of hydrogen is used as an alternative transportation fuel, too.

Hydrogen Is an Important Transportation Fuel

Did you know? The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) started using liquid hydrogen as rocket fuel in the 1950s. Down here on Earth, we can use hydrogen as a fuel for cars, too. Hydrogen can power the fuel stack in a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV).

How does a fuel cell vehicle work? Inside the car, pure hydrogen gas is stored in a tank. There is a piece of technology called a fuel cell stack on board. Hydrogen from the tank, and oxygen from the air, go into the fuel cell stack, and electricity and water are made. The electricity powers an electric motor and drives the car.

There are pros and cons to using hydrogen as a transportation fuel. Hydrogen is made in the United States. But hydrogen fuel is expensive to buy because it costs a lot of money to make it. Vehicles using hydrogen do not give off emissions or air pollutants. However, there may be life cycle emissions from manufacturing the vehicle and generating the hydrogen it uses for fuel.

Image courtesy of Bexim via Wikimedia Commons

HYDROGEN FUELING STATION

Fuel cell technology is very efficient, so most FCEVs have excellent fuel economy. They can drive 350 to 400 miles on one tank of hydrogen. But, fuel cells are very expensive to build. At the pump, drivers can fill up with hydrogen in just a few minutes. However, there are very few places to buy hydrogen. Most public stations are in southern California. Because of that, you can only buy a hydrogen powered car if you live in specific cities in California or Hawaii. A few cities have fuel cell electric bus fleets using hydrogen for fuel.

How Does a Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Vehicle Affect the Environment?

One the benefits of using hydrogen as a fuel source is that hydrogen produces zero or near-zero emissions when burned. Fuel cell vehicles are called zero-emission vehicles, or ZEV. Their only emission is water.

What Is a Fuel Cell?

A fuel cell is a piece of technology that makes electricity. There are different types of fuel cells. They are powered by a variety of fuels and chemicals. Hydrogen-powered fuel cells typically work like this:

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

A fuel cell consists of a material called an electrolyte membrane sandwiched between two electrodes. Oxygen (air) passes through one electrode and hydrogen through the other, generating electricity, water, and heat.

However, it’s important to remember that the industrial facilities making hydrogen often burn fossil fuels while making it. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases, and air pollutants into the environment. The buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is causing Earth’s atmosphere to trap extra heat and cause changes to the world’s climate. These changes impact the environment and all living things.

What’s Next for Hydrogen?

Hydrogen is much more expensive to make than gasoline or diesel fuel. Today, scientists are researching ways to lower the cost of technologies that make hydrogen. Scientists are also exploring ways to reduce the environmental impact of making hydrogen. Hydrogen can be a clean source of fuel if it is made using renewable resources or using low-carbon methods. For example, ethanol, a renewable fuel, can mix with high temperature steam to produce hydrogen. Some scientists are experimenting with microbes that make hydrogen, while others are studying how fast-growing green algae make hydrogen.

Another example is using renewable energy to make hydrogen by electrolysis. During electrolysis, an electric current splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. It takes a lot of electrical energy to make hydrogen this way. Most electricity is made by burning fossil fuels that emit carbon dioxide into the environment. If the electricity is made using renewable resources instead, the resulting hydrogen is considered a renewable, clean source of fuel.

Finally, customers aren’t going to buy hydrogen vehicles if there aren’t any places to fuel them. Government researchers and commercial engineers are working together to increase the production of FCEVs and to expand the hydrogen fueling infrastructure in the United States. For example, California is focusing on adding hydrogen fuel pumps at existing gasoline stations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Efforts are also underway to expand hydrogen fueling locations in Hawaii and across the East Coast.

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles at ITM Power Hydrogen Station at CEME, UK.

FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Image courtesy of Bexim via Wikimedia Commons

Electricity

How Is Electricity Made?

Electricity is made by a generator at a power plant. Inside the generator is a big coil of copper wire surrounded by huge magnets. Attached to the generator is a wheel called a turbine. When the turbine rotates, it spins the copper wire inside the magnets. Magnetic fields push and pull electrons in the copper wire. The electrons flow through power lines. Moving electrons are called electricity.

Electricity is called a secondary energy source because it is not renewable or nonrenewable. We must use other sources to create it. It takes a lot of energy to spin the turbine and generate electricity. In the United States, most of our electricity is made by burning natural gas. We also generate electricity by using coal, uranium, wind, hydropower, solar, and biomass.

Turbine Generator

Photo courtesy of Artinun/Adobe Stock

Other EV Technologies

A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) has a gas-powered engine. It has a gasoline fuel tank and only burns gasoline for fuel. To help the car run more efficiently and use less gasoline, the car gets a boost of energy from small batteries. For example, a battery provides electricity for a motor that helps speed up the car when the driver presses the gas pedal. The car uses less gasoline since the motor uses electricity to assist. For another example, a hybrid turns off the engine while stopped at a red light. The motor uses energy from the batteries to restart the car to drive again. The batteries are charged during a process called regenerative braking. An HEV does not have a plug and never connects to the grid.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) use gasoline and electricity for fuel. Energy stored in batteries provides electricity to motors that drive the car. Energy from the batteries also helps a PHEV run more efficiently and use less gasoline. To charge the batteries, a PHEV connects to a charging system which pulls electricity from the grid. The batteries are also charged during regenerative braking. A PHEV has a gasoline fuel tank and refuels at a gas station, too. While driving, if the PHEV has used all the energy stored in its batteries, it switches to burning gasoline for fuel.

What Is an Electric Vehicle (EV)?

An all-electric vehicle or EV uses electricity for fuel. It has no engine and no fuel tank. Energy stored in batteries provides electricity to motors that drive the car. Energy from the batteries also powers all the systems in the car. Like the head lights, radio, heating, and air conditioning.

When the batteries are low on energy, they need to be charged. When your cell phone battery is low, you attach it to a charging cord and plug it into an outlet. Electricity from the electric grid flows to your cell phone batteries and they charge. An all-electric vehicle does the same thing, but on a much larger scale. Batteries in an EV also charge during regenerative braking. That’s when energy from the wheels is used to generate electricity that is stored in the batteries, too. Another name for all-electric vehicles is Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs).

Electricity Is an Important Transportation Fuel

Electricity does a lot of work for us. We use it many times each day. It lights our homes, heats and cools our rooms, and helps us keep them clean. It cooks our food and washes the dishes. It runs our video games, computers, and charges our cell phones. It can even fuel our cars. Electricity used for transportation is considered an alternative fuel.

The Toyota Prius Prime is a popular example of a PHEV car. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

2024 TOYOTA PRIUS PHEV

Electricity is an important transportation fuel for fleets of school buses, city buses, shuttle vans, and delivery trucks. Utility companies, government agencies, and public transit agencies are required by law to fuel their fleets using some alternative transportation fuels. They can purchase electric vehicles and charge their batteries with electricity to meet this requirement. Many businesses have also pledged to reduce their overall carbon dioxide emissions. Vehicles using electricity do not give off any tail pipe emissions, helping to meet this goal. Finally, electricity costs less than gasoline or diesel fuel. Charging with electricity is flexible, too. Fleets can charge using public charging stations or install their own charging stations on-site.

EV passenger cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks are a choice for families, too. In 2024, about 3.6 million all-electric vehicles were out on the road. New EVs can drive 150 to 400 miles on a fully charged battery. Different models have different ranges.

When the batteries are drained, the driver uses charging equipment to connect the EV to an outlet or a charging station. Electricity from the grid charges the EV’s batteries. Charging times can range from less than 20 minutes to 20 hours or more. This depends on several factors, like how much energy is left in the batteries, and the type of charging equipment being used.

Many owners charge their EV at home, plugging it into charging equipment installed at their home. Public charging stations are available, too. This makes driving an electric vehicle more convenient. Charging stations are often located near shopping centers, airports, hotels, government offices, and other businesses. Sometimes charging stations are free to use, but sometimes a driver will need to pay for the electricity they consume. There are currently over 66,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the United States. Some of these are fast charge stations, adding 100-200+ miles of range in about 30 minutes of charging.

Heavy-duty EVs, such as city transit buses, require high power levels when charging. Instead of plugging into a charging unit, a bus can use wireless charging equipment. An electromagnetic field transfers electricity directly to the batteries in the bus. Other heavy-duty EVs include school buses, motor coaches, trolleys, box trucks, cargo vans, and truck cabs.

Image courtesy of outhworks/Adobe Stock

EV CHARGING

Today, all-electric motorcycles are joining fleets, too. Electric motorcycles and cars are currently in use by the United States Park Police. Washington, D.C. officers use the quiet, zero-emissions motorcycles to patrol large crowds around the monuments and museums.

There are pros and cons to using electricity as a transportation fuel. EVs typically have a shorter range than similar conventional vehicles, which means you can’t drive as far. And, charging the battery with electricity from the grid takes a lot longer than refueling with other fuels. Many drivers will be able to charge their vehicles at home, but not everyone. Some homes don’t have parking or a place to install the charging equipment. An EV may cost more to buy, but electricity costs less than gasoline and prices are more stable. We can make electricity using America’s natural resources. In some areas of the country, you can buy electricity made from renewable resources, which lowers your car’s impact on the environment.

How Does Using Electricity Affect the Environment?

An EV produces zero tailpipe emissions. This means no air pollution or carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere as you drive the car. However, building cars at a factory and generating electricity at a power plant could release emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases that harm the environment.

The life cycle emissions of a car factors in all these sources of emissions. For an EV, the main factor is how electricity is generated where you live. Burning fossil fuels to generate electricity produces more pollutants and greenhouse gases than generating electricity from nuclear, wind, hydropower, or solar power. In the United States, most of our electricity is made from natural gas. Natural gas is removed from the ground, refined, shipped by pipeline to a power plant, and burned to generate electricity. Emissions may be released during each step of the process.

Photo courtesy of ZERO Motorcycles

Burning fossil fuels also releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. The buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is causing Earth’s atmosphere to trap extra heat, causing changes to the world’s climate. These changes impact the environment and all living things. Scientific research shows that EVs produce much less carbon dioxide emissions than conventional vehicles. Using renewable energy to generate electricity will help reduce emissions even more.

What’s Next for Electricity?

Starting in 2035, all new car sales in California must be zero-emission cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks. Dealers will no longer sell gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles. People will still be allowed to own and drive their gasoline-powered cars, though. Other states have begun to make similar rules to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from transportation. Today, most major auto manufacturers have electric vehicle models for sale. Some have pledged to stop building gasoline-powered cars and trucks by 2035. We will likely see an increase in the number of electric vehicles in the U.S. in the coming years.

Scientists and engineers are developing solutions to keep the national electric grid strong. For example, they are researching ways to lower the cost of making electricity from renewable resources.

They are designing smart charging systems that control how multiple EVs charge. They are also developing new battery energy storage systems (BESS) . These batteries store electricity made by wind turbines or solar power until it is needed.

Image courtesy of aicandy/Adobe Stock

WIND TURBINES

Saving Energy

Why Save Energy?

Most of the energy we use today comes from petroleum, natural gas, and coal. They are fossil fuels. They take millions or even hundreds of millions of years to form. We can’t make more quickly. They are nonrenewable. We need to save energy whenever we can. You can help.

You Can Make a Difference

The things you do every day make a difference. If everyone saves just a little energy, it adds up to a lot. When you save energy, you save money, too. You have more money to spend on other things. Saving energy also helps protect the environment.

You save energy when you reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle. You save energy when you put on a hoodie to stay warm in the winter. You save energy when you turn off lights and unplug electronics that aren’t being used. You can save energy while using transportation, too.

Use Less Gasoline

Transportation is one of the biggest ways we use energy in our country. It takes a lot of energy to operate a car. You can save energy by using less gasoline. Walk or ride your bike wherever you can. If you and some of your friends are going to the same place, go together, or carpool. Take the bus instead of asking for a ride to school.

Online purchases get to your house using transportation. As each item you buy moves from where it was made to your door, it might stop a few times at warehouses or shipping centers. Each box uses a lot of energy on the way to your home. Choose to have items delivered together in less boxes. Delivery vans will make less trips to your house, saving energy.

Not every family owns a car. Some use public transportation, and that saves energy! If your family does drive a car, you can help the adult driver save energy. You can teach them ways to use less gasoline.

Fuel-Efficiency

Driving a fuel-efficient car uses less gasoline. Miles per gallon (MPG) is a fuel economy rating that tells how many miles your car can travel using one gallon of gasoline. The more miles your car can go, the better.

The Garcia Family owns two cars. One car gets 25 MPG. The other car gets 36 MPG. The Garcias want to use the least amount of gasoline on their summer vacation. Which car should they drive? Driving their most fuel-efficient car saves gasoline, money, and energy!

Cleaner Air

As a car burns gasoline, smog and particles of soot are released into the air. This is air pollution. It is not healthy to breathe. Today, scientists are designing fuels that burn cleaner than gasoline. Automotive engineers are designing car engines to run cleaner and be more efficient. They are designing new technologies, like electric vehicles, that produce no air pollution while driving. Using less gasoline means less air pollution in our environment.

Air pollution can lead to many health problems.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

SMOG AND AIR POLLUTION

What Are Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. Imagine the Earth wrapped in a blanket. The blanket is the atmosphere. Between the layers of the blanket is stuffing made of greenhouse gases that trap heat. This blanket is very important. Without a blanket of greenhouse gases, the Earth would be too cold for us to live on it.

The main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. It is found naturally in the atmosphere as part of the carbon cycle. But, human activity is adding more and more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Imagine the stuffing inside the blanket getting thicker and thicker. Can you imagine the Earth getting hot under its thick blanket?

Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Burning conventional fuels like gasoline also releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the air. Climate scientists are concerned about how much carbon dioxide is building up in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon dioxide come from many sources. But the main source is burning fossil fuels for transportation. Using less gasoline and diesel will produce less carbon dioxide and help protect our earth.

Energy Conservation

You can choose to use less energy every day. Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Carpool to your game. Ride your bike to a friend’s house. Take the bus to school. These actions show you choose to use less energy. You are practicing energy conservation. You are making a difference in your world!

The Greenhouse E ect

Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

EARTH FROM ORBIT

Tasty Treat Transport

Problem

The Tasty Treat Company needs you to design and build a brand-new vehicle to transport their Tasty Treats by land, air, or water.

Criteria

ƒ The vehicle must transport four mini candy bars.

ƒ The vehicle must travel one meter.

ƒ The vehicle must be durable (it can’t fall apart during the delivery).

Constraints

ƒ Build the vehicle with recycled materials and classroom supplies.

My Design Plan

What I want my vehicle to look like:

Label the parts of your vehicle. Explain how the vehicle moves.

Materials I need:

Initial Design Test Data

TRIAL 1

Amount of Load Carried Distance Durability

Evaluation

1. What worked?

2. What didn’t work?

3. Brainstorm ideas to fix or improve your design.

TRIAL 2

TRIAL 3

Final Design Plan

What I want my final vehicle to look like:

Label the parts of your vehicle. Explain how the vehicle moves.

Final Design Test Data

TRIAL 1

Amount of Load Carried Distance

Durability

Conclusions

1. Describe how you improved your vehicle’s design.

TRIAL 2

TRIAL 3

2. What evidence shows your vehicle improved?

3. Study other students’ vehicle designs and their test data. Describe a feature or function from someone else’s design that you admire and explain why you like it.

Share

Create an advertisement for the Tasty Treat Company to sell them your new transport vehicle. Include a picture and describe how the vehicle works. Give your vehicle a fun name.

Transportation Tally

 ? Question

How do students use transportation to get to school?

Observations

Date:

Describe how you got to school today:

Ask an adult, “What fuel does this vehicle use?”

Data

Bar Graph #1

Bar Graph #2 Title:

Draw and label a model, such as a circle graph, that shows how many students used conventional fuels, alternative fuels, and saving energy to get to school today.

Title: ________________________________________________________________

Conclusions

Use the data on your graphs to answer these questions.

1. Which two modes of transportation are the most popular ways to get to school?

2. How many students used a fossil fuel? Explain the data you are using for evidence to get this answer.

3. How many students saved energy on the way to school, using no transportation fuels? Explain the data you are using for evidence to get this answer.

Track Your Package

Instructions

A special package is making a journey from Grandma’s house to yours. Read the passage below. Underline each mode of transportation used by your package.

Cookie Delivery

Grandma bakes a batch of your favorite cookies. She packs them carefully in a box and tapes the box closed. She leaves her apartment and rides the elevator down to the parking lot. Grandma places the box of cookies into her car. She drives across town to a UPS retail store.

At the store, an employee enters your home address into a computer and puts a smart label on the box. The label has a barcode that will be scanned several times by machines and employees during its journey. The bar code helps UPS keep track of your package in realtime. The smart label also includes important printed information, such as your delivery address, so workers can read it. Grandma pays the cashier for the shipping cost, and your box is placed on a counter to wait for pick up.

A few hours later, a UPS package car arrives. It’s not actually a car at all, but a big, brown delivery van. The driver piles several boxes onto a dolly, which she pushes out of the building. The boxes are loaded into the package car and driven to a regional sorting facility.

At the regional sorting facility, an employee unloads the package car, sorting packages by their destinations. Since your box needs to travel across the country, it will go by airplane. The box is loaded into a special cargo container with rounded sides, which fits well in the body of the airplane. Each large container holds many packages going to the same airport. Even though the containers may weigh up to two tons each, employees can push the containers around easily because of ball bearings built into the floors of the planes.

Photo courtesy of Dylan Ashe via wikimedia commons

The airplane carrying your box flies to Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky. Worldport is an enormous automated sorting facility. Ninety football fields could fit inside it! When the airplane arrives, employees unload the cargo containers and the packages inside. Your box is put onto a conveyor belt with other six-sided boxes. Flat envelopes and irregular shaped items go on separate conveyor belts. An employee makes sure the bar code on your box faces up. It will be scanned by machines as it moves through the conveyor belt system. There are 155 miles of conveyor belts at Worldport! In less than 15 minutes, your box is sorted into a new pile based on its final destination.

Next, your box is loaded into a semi-truck filled with packages from your state. The truck drives through the night to a local shipping facility near your hometown.

As your box is unloaded from the truck, an employee scans the bar code one more time. The employee prints and adds another special label to your box. The new label shows which package car your box will go on, and even the exact space on the shelf where it will sit. The box is placed on a conveyor belt that carries it to the correct package car.

Once the package car is loaded, the driver sets off for the day’s deliveries. He uses route planning software to determine the delivery route. This helps conserve fuel and keeps the driver from getting lost. A few hours later, the UPS driver arrives at your house and locates your box on the shelf. He scans it with a handheld computer that retrieves package information and then the driver walks up to your door. Time to open the box and enjoy Grandma’s cookies!

Conclusion

How does transportation make your life better? Describe two examples.

File Folder Fuel

Topic: _________________________

Directions:

1. Read the text.

2. Find information:

ƒ Underline five important facts.

Group Members: _______________________

ƒ Draw a star next to a sentence that describes a positive reason to use this fuel.

ƒ Draw a frowny face next to a sentence that describes something negative about this fuel.

ƒ Circle a sentence that describes how using this fuel affects the environment.

3. Find two or more pictures. Draw your own pictures or graphs, cut pictures from magazines, or find pictures on the internet to print.

4. Create a display inside the file folder. Include the name of your fuel as a title. Use color. Make it look interesting. The text should be easy to read. Include pictures.

5. Write a script. Use your research to prepare a one-minute speech to teach your classmates about your fuel.

6. Practice the script.

7. Share your file folder and presentation with your class.

Conclusions

1. Describe how your group divided up the work.

2. How was your experience working as a group?

3. Which fuel do you think is the most important? Explain why you think so.

4. Which fuel would you like to use in the future?

5. Describe one challenge to using this fuel.

6. Describe one positive reason to use this fuel.

EV Point of View

 ? Question

How will different community members react to their city installing Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment?

Procedure

The city council is going to approve one location to install an electric vehicle charging station, called Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). If it is successful there, more stations may follow in the community, so siting is very important. There are many points of view on where the EVSE should or should not go. Match the perspectives below to the different community members. Write the names of the community members below each statement. Some people may have more than one perspective.

Community Members:

Car Salesperson

Doctor

Environmentalist

Grandpa

Perspectives:

Ice Cream Shop Owner

Personal Trainer

Teacher

Truck Driver

ƒ There is space to install a charger in the parking lot at my gym. The convenient charging option will bring in new clients. More clients puts more money in my pocket!

ƒ Some of my patients have asthma and it’s hard for them to breathe. Since EVs don’t produce tailpipe emissions or air pollutants like other cars, using them in our community will improve the air quality and my patients’ health. Please install this equipment near schools, parks, and the library.

ƒ I don’t want this new technology to put me out of a job. I deliver gasoline to all the local gas stations. It’s a stable paycheck. No EVSE in our community!

ƒ A charging station in the public parking garage downtown would be convenient while I’m running my errands.

ƒ I’m worried that children crossing the street won’t hear an EV driving by since they’re so quiet. Don’t install this equipment near schools, parks, or the library.

ƒ Most people who purchase an EV from me charge their car at home. It’s very convenient. But I’d love to see public chargers near the movie theater, laundromat, and restaurants, too. The more places there are to charge electric vehicles - the more cars I will sell!

ƒ My customers complain how hard it is to find a parking spot in front of my little shop on Main Street. Please don’t take away any parking spaces. I might go out of business.

ƒ Install EV chargers in the places most impacted by air pollution, which often coincides with low-income communities. Give residents of underserved communities convenient and affordable access to EVs for car sharing or ride sharing services while creating job opportunities.

ƒ Back in my day, cars ran on good old fashioned gasoline. I remember waiting in long lines during oil shortages. Cars that run on electricity? No thanks! What’s next, cars that drive themselves?

ƒ Burning fossil fuels is bad for the environment and contributes to climate change. Encouraging EVs in our community is great for everyone. Of course, an EVSE needs to be properly located, so the construction doesn’t disturb any native plants or animals.

ƒ I don’t care where you decide to install it, as long as I don’t see an ugly charging station when I look out my window.

ƒ Driving an EV saves money on fuel and maintenance. This means more money left over for rent, food, and other family necessities. I might buy an EV if you install a charging system at the apartment complex where I live.

Point of View Challenges

Now that you have an idea how your community might respond, pick one of the following activities to complete with your group to show your understanding of the perspectives involved.

ƒ Create a skit of a city council meeting where various perspectives are shared.

ƒ Create a slideshow explaining the perspectives and how you might decide where to put the EVSE.

ƒ Stage a debate about the siting issue, with each person picking a role from the list above. Add additional community members like a mayor, councilwoman, the EVSE owner, or a utility worker. Add a moderator with questions to keep the debate moving.

ƒ Create a comic strip or other artwork to show the various perspectives and how the council makes the final decision.

Pretzel Power

& Background

Most of our cars run on petroleum. Some vehicles are more efficient than others and allow us to go farther with less fuel while being kind to the environment.

 ? Question

What is gas mileage and why is it important to getting around?

 Materials

ƒ One notecard

ƒ Bag of 10 pretzels (or other food item) from your teacher

Procedure

1. Think about the kind of car you would like to drive.

2. Use a computer and look at the fuel efficiency of your choice using www.fueleconomy.gov.

3. On your card, record the name of the car, the year it was made, how many miles per gallon it travels, and how many passengers can fit in the car.

4. Your teacher will give you a bag of pretzels or food items. Each item represents one gallon of gasoline and the bag represents one tank of gas.

5. For Round One: You will be “driving” from “Home” to work in “Near Town” and back home again while using only 5 gallons of gasoline (5 pieces of food). You will be marking the distance driven by taking steps heel-to-toe. One step represents one mile driven.

ƒ Eat one item. Take as many heel-to-toe steps as your car would be able to drive on one gallon of gasoline. Do not take any more steps than your car can drive.

ƒ Eat another item and again take as many steps as your car can drive on one gallon of gasoline. Continue this until you have used five “gallons of gasoline” (eaten five pieces).

6. For Round Two: In this round you will be traveling to “Far Town” in your car. Decide if you should carpool, and find passengers for your car, or join another person’s carpool.

ƒ If you carpool, all members combine their food items. Only one person may eat an item at a time.

ƒ When your teacher indicates the start of Round Two, begin stepping as a group as you drive to Far Town. Count the steps together for the car you chose to drive.

Conclusions

1. During Round One, were you able to make it to Near Town and back Home? Did you have fuel remaining?

2. During Round Two, were you able to make it to Far Town and back Home? How were you able to travel this greater distance?

3. In your own words, explain what the MPG rating means. Why is the miles per gallon of a car important?

4. Explain the benefits of carpooling. Describe the disadvantages, too.

Family Road Trip

The Challenge

You are responsible for planning your family’s summer vacation road trip.

1. Select a vehicle that runs on gasoline or diesel for your trip. Make sure it has enough seats for all of your family members!

2. Find your vehicle's fuel economy rating at www.fueleconomy.gov. Fill in the information below.

Vehicle Make and Model:

Fuel Type:

Fuel Economy (Miles Per Gallon):

Total Range:

3. Where will you go? Make at least three stops along the way. Plan each leg of your trip in the chart below.

4. Use a mapping website or software to calculate the miles you will drive each leg of your trip. Calculate how much fuel you will use during each leg of the trip. See equation box below.

Can’t decide where to go? Here are a few fun, transportation related destinations!

The Henry Ford Museum – Dearborn, Michigan

John F. Kennedy Space Center – Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Golden Spike National Historic Site – Promontory Summit, Utah

National Corvette Museum – Bowling Green, Kentucky

Equations

The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum – Midland, Texas

Pima Air & Space Museum – Tucson, Arizona

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum – Washington, D.C.

Le May America's Car Museum – Tacoma, Washington

1. Why did you choose this vehicle?

2. What is the price of gasoline or diesel in your state?

3. How much will fuel cost for each leg of your trip? How much will fuel cost for your entire trip?

4. Are there ways you can reduce your fuel consumption on this trip?

5. Go back to www.fueleconomy.gov. Choose another vehicle that uses a different type of fuel. Write a paragraph that explains how this vehicle compares to your original vehicle on the same road trip.

An Amazin’ Delivery

Gasoline-Powered Delivery Vans

2021 Ford Transit Connect Van FWD

ƒ 20 City MPG, 348-mile range

ƒ Tailpipe CO2 = 397 grams per mile

Data: www.fueleconomy.gov

Delivery Van:

ROUTE DATA:

Delivery #1

Delivery #2

Delivery #3

Delivery #4

Delivery #5

Delivery #6

Delivery #7

Delivery #8

Delivery #9

Delivery #10

Total miles driven:

2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris (Cargo Van)

ƒ 19 City MPG, unknown range

ƒ Tailpipe CO2 = 432 grams per mile

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emitted: ________________

Electric-Powered Delivery Vans

2022 Ford E-Transit Cargo Van

ƒ 126-mile range

ƒ Tailpipe CO2 = 0 grams per mile

GM’s BrightDrop EV600 Van

ƒ 250-mile range

ƒ Tailpipe CO2 = 0 grams per mile

Data: Car and Driver, autoblog.com, Roadshow

Delivery Van Selected:

ROUTE DATA:

Delivery #1

Delivery #2

Delivery #3

Delivery #4

Delivery #5

Delivery #6

Delivery #7

Delivery #8

Delivery #9

Delivery #10

Total miles driven: _____________

Carbon

2021 Ram Promaster City

ƒ 21 City MPG, 386-mile range

ƒ Tailpipe CO2 = 374 grams per mile

Rivian’s Custom Amazon Electric Van

ƒ 150-mile range

ƒ Tailpipe CO2 = 0 grams per mile

Graphing Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere. Human activities, like burning fossil fuels, release greenhouse gases into the air. Scientists are most concerned about carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is building up in the atmosphere.

Question 1: Is there a lot of carbon dioxide in greenhouse gas emissions?

Title: _______________________________________________

Source: ________________________________

Directions

1. Look at the data in this chart.

U.S

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2022

2. Three percent of greenhouse gas emissions are fluorinated gases. Color 3 blocks orange in the graph on page 60.

3. Six percent of greenhouse gas emissions are nitrous oxide. Color 6 more blocks orange.

4. Eleven percent of greenhouse gas emissions are methane. Color 11 more blocks orange.

5. Eighty percent of greenhouse gas emissions are carbon dioxide. Color 80 blocks red.

6. Write a title for your graph.

7. Write the source of your data.

8. Label the Key.

 Conclusions

1. Draw a circle. Sketch the data to create a circle graph. Add labels. Color carbon dioxide red and all the other greenhouse gases orange. Add a title. Add the data source.

2. What is the main greenhouse gas emitted in the United States?

3. How much of our greenhouse gas emissions are carbon dioxide?

Most carbon dioxide reaches the atmosphere because of human activities. The main human activity emitting carbon dioxide is burning fossil fuels for our energy and transportation needs.

Question 2: What are the main sources of carbon dioxide emissions?

Title: _______________________________________________

Source: ________________________________

Directions

1. Look at the data in this chart.

Sources of U.S Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2022

Data Source: EPA

2. Homes and businesses produce 12 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Color 12 blocks blue on the graph on page 62.

3. Industry produces 19 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Color 19 blocks orange.

4. Burning fossil fuels to generate electricity in power plants produces 31 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Color 31 blocks yellow.

5. Burning gasoline and diesel for transportation produces 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Color 38 blocks red.

6. Write a title for your graph.

7. Write the source of your data.

8. Label the Key.

Conclusions

1. Draw a circle. Sketch the data to create a circle graph. Add labels. Follow the key to color each source on the graph. Add a title. Add the data source.

2. What are the two main sources of carbon dioxide emissions?

3. How much of our carbon dioxide emissions comes from transportation?

Cars and trucks burn gasoline and diesel in their engines. This emits carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. Scientists are concerned about how much carbon dioxide we release into the air while driving cars and trucks. A buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is causing changes to the world’s climate.

Question 3: Do vehicles emit a lot of carbon dioxide?

Title: _______________________________________________

Source: ________________________________

Directions:

1. Look at the data in this chart.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Vehicles in 2022

Data Source: EPA

2. Carbon dioxide gas makes up 97% of all greenhouse gases emitted from cars, trucks, and vehicles. Color 97 blocks red in the graph above.

3. Adding all the other gases together makes up only 3% of the greenhouse gases emitted from cars, trucks, and vehicles. Color 3 blocks blue.

4. Write a title for your graph.

5. Write the source of your data.

6. Label the key.

Conclusions

1. Draw a circle. Sketch the data to create a circle graph. Add labels. Color carbon dioxide red and the other greenhouse gases blue. Add a title. Add the data source.

2. Which greenhouse gas do vehicles emit the most?

3. Cars and trucks emit greenhouse gases while driving. How much of the emissions are carbon dioxide?

Convince the Principal

Explain to your principal why it is important to care about greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide. Cite evidence from each circle graph to support your argument.

Rubber Band Racer

The Challenge

You have been hired to design a new vehicle. Using cardboard and other craft supplies, your team will build a vehicle that is powered by gravity and the elastic energy in rubber bands.

 Materials

ƒ Safety glasses

ƒ Cardboard box

ƒ Rubber bands

ƒ 2 Round pencils

ƒ Pencil sharpener

ƒ Tape

ƒ Scissors

ƒ Ruler

ƒ Meter stick

ƒ Art supplies

ƒ Calculator

ƒ Glue

ƒ Timer or watch

Criteria

ƒ The car must be able to roll down a ramp.

ƒ The car must be able to move forward with the winding and unwinding of a rubber band.

Procedure

PART 1: Build Your Car

1. Fold your flattened box into a box shape. Lay it flat.

2. Tip the box up so it is on its side. Cut the box in half so you have two, long skinny pieces. Set one half of the box aside or give it to another team.

3. Tape any flaps down on the half of the box you will work with. You should have a fully assembled half of a box, with the top fully open.

Image 1

Photos and activity used with permission from Mike "The Maker" Rigsby.

4. Decide where you want your wheels to be. Measure and pick a spot for your axles so that your wheels are close enough to the bottom of the box that your wheels will touch the ground. Measure and mark the spots for your pencils (axles) to go through the box so your axles will be level.

5. Sharpen the pencils. Use the sharpened pencils to poke holes through the sides of the box for your axles. Make sure your holes are a little larger than the pencil so the ales will roll and turn freely. Use your scissors or a pencil to help make your wheel holes larger. See Image 1.

6. Create four cardboard wheels. Use a template or something circle-shaped if you have one. What size wheels do you think will be best – smaller or larger? If you like, create 2 sets of wheels to try different sizes.

7. Find the center of each wheel. Use a pencil to mark the center point and poke holes into all 4 wheels at the exact same spot. Try stacking one on the other to make them even.

8. Cut two “v-shaped” notches into the front end of your car. The square that remains in the middle between the two “Vs” should be fairly wide so it will support the rubber band later. This step will be important for Part 3. See Image 2.

9. Insert your pencils into the body of your truck through the holes you prepared. See Image 3.

10. Push your wheels onto your pencil axles, so you have a wheel on each side of your truck. Evenly space them and make sure they roll. See Image 4.

11. When you are satisfied with your wheels, take them to the glue station and put a little glue beside the wheel on the pencil axle to hold each in place. Let the glue dry before rolling your car.

12. Make sure your car rolls on a flat surface. Do you need to change anything to make it roll more smoothly?

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Photos and activity used with permission from Mike "The Maker" Rigsby.

PART 2: Ramp Test

1. Take your car to the ramp testing area.

2. Allow your car to roll down the ramp three times. Record the time it takes for your car to roll down the ramp using the timer or watch.

3. Record the seconds for each roll on your worksheet.

4. Calculate the average time using the instructions on the worksheet.

PART 3: Rubber Band Powered Car

1. Take one rubber band and loop the end around the “v-shaped” notches in the FRONT of your car. See Image 5.

2. Bring the other end of the rubber band to the axle pencil in the BACK of the car. Hold the other end of the rubber band at the pencil axle by turning it a few times so the rubber band stacks up on itself. If your rubber band is too short, tie a few together to make them long enough to reach from the front of the car to the back axle.

3. Release the rear wheel and let your car go. What do you need to fix for it to move more smoothly?

4. Practice winding your rubber band and propelling your car forward. Make changes to your car to make it work best.

PART 4: Rubber Band Test

1. Take your car to the testing area.

2. Wind your rubber band and let your car roll three times. Record how many centimeters your car travels for each roll. Record your data on your worksheet.

3. Race other teams. Which car travels the most distance the fastest? What about their car makes it move faster or farther?

4. What would you change about your car to make it roll and move better?

Image

Photos and activity used with permission from Mike "The Maker" Rigsby.

a c b Glossary

a all-electric vehicle see battery electric vehicle

alternative fuel transportation fuels that are not petroleum-based, including ethanol, natural gas, propane, hydrogen, fuels derived from biological materials (biofuels), and electricity

autogas see propane; a clean burning, gas fossil fuel made from petroleum and natural gas

b battery a device that stores chemical energy that can later be transformed into electrical energy

battery electric vehicle (BEV)

an all-electric vehicle that receives power by plugging into an electric power source and storing the power in a battery pack; BEVs do not use any petroleum fuel during operation and do not produce tailpipe emissions

battery energy storage system electrical energy stored in batteries until the electrical energy is needed

ball bearing rolling ball pieces that are used to reduce friction

barge Large flat bottomed ship for transporting goods, requires another ship or boat to push or propel it forward

biodegradable when something can break down naturally into smaller parts

biodiesel a fuel made from fat, grease, or vegetable oil that can be used in a diesel engine

biofuels liquid fuels and blending components produced from biomass (plant) feedstock, used primarily for transportation

biomass any living material, or material that was once alive or came from a living organism; examples include crops, wood, animal wastes, trash, and aquatic plants

biomethane a renewable source of natural gas made from decomposing plant and animal waste, sewage, and municipal solid waste

c canal manmade waterway built to move water for crop irrigation or flood control, or to allow boats to sail inland

carbon dioxide a colorless, odorless, noncombustible gas with the formula CO2 that is present in the atmosphere; it is formed by combustion and by respiration

chemical energy energy stored in the chemical bonds of a substance and released during a chemical reaction such as burning wood, coal, or oil

compressed natural gas (CNG)

natural gas compressed and stored in high-pressure containers, used as a fuel for natural gaspowered vehicles

conservation reducing energy consumption

conventional fuels petroleum-based fuels such as motor gasoline or diesel fuel

crude oil

another name for petroleum, a black, liquid fossil fuel found deep in the Earth; gasoline and most plastics are made from oil

d diesel a fuel made from petroleum that runs heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses that have diesel engines

e E85

electric grid

a high-level gasoline-ethanol blend containing 51% to 83% ethanol, depending on geography and season

a system of power plants, power lines, and equipment that brings power to customers who use it

electric vehicle (EV) any vehicle that can plug into an electric power source and uses electric power to move

electricity electrons in motion

electrolysis the process of splitting a water molecule into its basic elements

electromagnetic having to do with magnetism produced by an electric current

electron the tiny, energetic pieces of atoms with a negative electric charge

emission releases of gases into the atmosphere from some type of human activity (cooking, driving a car, etc.); in the context of global climate change, emissions consist of greenhouse gases (e.g., the release of carbon dioxide during fuel combustion)

energy the ability to do work, produce change, or move an object

Energy Policy Act of 1992 passed by Congress to enhance U.S. energy security by requiring federal, state, and alternative fuel provider fleets to use less petroleum

Erie Canal a historic waterway across New York state that runs east-west between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Erie

ethanol a colorless liquid fuel made from plants that can burn and is often mixed with gasoline f fermentation the changing of a sugar into an acid, gas, or alcohol with the presence of bacteria or yeast

fleet a group of vehicles that are owned and managed by one owner and often are on the move at the same time, ex. police cars, naval ships, taxis

fleet vehicle any motor vehicle a company owns or leases used to do their work; fleet vehicles may be powered by gasoline, diesel, or alternative fuels

flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) has one fuel system capable of using alternative and petroleum-based fuels; for example, an FFV can run on E85 or gasoline, or a mixture of both

freight any type of goods, items, or commodities that are transported in bulk by air transport, surface transport, or sea/ocean transport

friction resistance one surface or object has when moving over another

fossil fuels fuels (coal, oil, natural gas, etc.) that formed hundreds of millions of years ago from heat and pressure on plant and animal remains

fuel

fuel cell

fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV)

fuel cell stack

any material substance that can be consumed to supply heat or power; for example: petroleum, coal, natural gas, uranium, biomass, and hydrogen

a device capable of generating an electrical current by converting the chemical energy of a fuel directly into electrical energy

an electric vehicle that generates on-board electricity with a fuel cell powered by hydrogen

an assembly of individual membrane electrodes that use hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity

fuel economy distance travelled by a vehicle compared to volume of fuel consumed

g gasoline a fuel made from petroleum that runs many vehicles

generator a device that turns motion from wind, water, or steam into electrical energy; generators are made of coils of wire and magnets that spin

greenhouse gases gases that trap the heat of the sun in the Earth’s atmosphere, producing the greenhouse effect; the two major greenhouse gases are water vapor and carbon dioxide; lesser greenhouse gases include methane, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrogen oxides

h hybrid electric vehicle (HEV)

combines an internal combustion engine with a battery pack, regenerative braking, and an electric motor to provide high fuel economy; HEVs rely on gasoline or diesel fuel for power and cannot be plugged into an electric power source; the battery packs are charged by the engine and regenerative braking

hydrogen a colorless, odorless, highly flammable gaseous element; it is the lightest of all gases and the most abundant element in the universe, occurs in combination with oxygen in water and also in acids, bases, alcohols, petroleum, and other hydrocarbons

i infrastructure a group of parts working together to help something operate, ex. roadways, harbors, public transportation, electric grid

internal combustion engine type of engine that has one or more cylinders in which the process of combustion takes place, converting energy released from the rapid burning of a fuel-air mixture into mechanical energy

l life cycle emissions the sum of all emissions from all stages of a vehicle’s lifetime; includes indirect emissions associated with building vehicles, transporting vehicles, producing fuels, and generating electricity, and direct emissions while using and maintaining the vehicle

liquefied natural gas (LNG)

natural gas (primarily methane) that has been liquefied by reducing its temperature to -260 degrees Fahrenheit at atmospheric pressure

m maglev magnetic levitation; a train that hovers and is moved by electromagnets

magnetic field the area of force surrounding a magnet

mass transportation many people carried in a single vehicle, for example: airplanes, buses, or subways; also known as mass transit

methane (CH4) a colorless, flammable, odorless hydrocarbon gas which is the major component of natural gas; also an important source of hydrogen in various industrial processes; methane is a greenhouse gas

microbe

a living thing that is too small to be seen by the naked eye; essential to life and found in soil, air, water, and the body; necessary for breaking down materials naturally

miles per gallon (MPG) a measure of vehicle fuel efficiency; MPG is computed as the ratio of the total number of miles traveled by a vehicle to the total number of gallons consumed

mode of transport travel that occurs on land, air, or water

mode of transportation a vehicle that moves people, goods, or energy products from one place to another

n natural gas an odorless, colorless, tasteless, non-toxic, clean-burning fossil fuel; it is usually found in fossil fuel deposits and used as a fuel

natural gas processing plant facilities designed to recover natural gas liquids from a stream of natural gas

nitrogen oxides (NOX) compounds of nitrogen and oxygen produced by the burning of fossil fuels

nonrenewable fuels that cannot be easily made or replenished; we can use up nonrenewable fuels; oil, natural gas, propane, uranium, and coal are nonrenewable fuels

nuclear power energy generated in a nuclear reactor; from energy stored in the nucleus of an atom that is released by the splitting of the nuclei

p particulate matter also called particle pollution, a mixture of solid particles or liquid droplets found in the air, for example: dust, dirt, soot, or smoke

petroleum another name for oil or the products refined from oil; petroleum materials include diesel fuel, heating oil, etc.

photosynthesis when plants make food (sugar) using the energy in sunlight

pipeline a system of pipes that carries petroleum and natural gas from place to place

plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)

a vehicle that can both (1) plug into an electric power source and store power in a battery pack and (2) use gasoline to power an internal combustion engine

pollution a substance that is harmful to any environment; pollution can include trash, gases, chemicals, and even noise

power lines cables or wires that carry electricity from place to place

power plant a place where electricity is created

propane (C3H8) a hydrocarbon extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams, which is gaseous at standard temperature and pressure

public transportation local forms of transport such as buses, trains, and subways, that travel on designated routes, charge set fares, and are available to the public; also known as mass transit

r refinery a plant that heats and separates petroleum into products

regenerative braking a feature of electric vehicles that captures energy normally lost during braking by using the electric motor as a generator and storing the captured energy in a battery

renewable fuels that can be easily made or replenished; we can never use up renewable fuels; types of renewable fuels are hydropower (water), solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass

renewable diesel fuel diesel fuel made from renewable sources that are made alongside with petroleum feedstocks and meet requirements of advanced biofuels

Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)

a regulation created under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to make sure transportation fuel sold in the United States contains a minimum volume of renewable fuels, and to increase the amount of renewable fuels each year

s sedimentary rock a type of rock formed by deposits of earth materials, or within bodies of water; oil and gas are found in sedimentary rock; coal is a sedimentary rock

smart charging system cloud-based data sharing between an electric vehicle and a charger; optimizes energy consumption

smog a form of air pollution

stagecoach a four-wheeled covered coach pulled by teams of horses transporting paying passengers on set routes

steamboat boat propelled by steam power

steam locomotive railway locomotive that produces pulling power with a steam engine

steam-methane reforming method for making syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) from natural gas

streetcar tram or trolley, usually driven by an electric motor, that runs on track laid in the street

t tailpipe emissions emissions produced through fuel combustion during a vehicle’s operation

transcontinental railroad continuous railroad tracks built across the U.S. to connect the east and west coasts

transportation the movement of people and goods from one place to another Transportation Revolution time period in America when new transportation options emerged

turbine a device with blades, which are turned by water, wind, or steam

u uranium a mineral that can be mined and used, a radioactive element

z zero emission vehicle (ZEV) does not release any pollutants from the onboard source of power

Youth AWards Program for Energy Achievement

NEED’s annual Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement rewards students for their e orts in energy outreach and student leadership.

The Youth Awards Program is great for all schools—new to energy education, or veteran. Projects and outreach completed for the program provide opportunity for enrichment and engagement, as well as an opportunity for your students, classroom, and school to shine. Youth Awards projects can be completed by afterschool/out-of-school time programs, community groups, and even families!

What’s involved?

Students and teachers set goals and objectives and keep a record of their activities. Students create a digital project to submit for judging. In April, digital projects are uploaded to the online submission site.

Check out:

For more information and project submission details, we invite you to visit https://youthawards.need.org. Be sure to explore the site to view past winning projects and garner inspiration!

Youth Energy Conference & Awards

The NEED Youth Energy Conference and Awards gives students more opportunities to learn about energy and to explore energy in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

The annual June conference has students from across the country working in groups on an Energy Challenge designed to stretch their minds and energy knowledge. The conference culminates with the Youth Awards Ceremony recognizing student work throughout the year and during the conference.

For More Info: www.need.org/youthenergyconference

Games, Puzzles, and Activities

Looking for some fun energy activities? There are plenty of fun games, puzzles, and activities available at www.NEED.org/need-students/ games-puzzles-activities/.

WIND

Windissimplyairinmotion.ItiscausedbytheunevenheatingoftheEarth’ssurfacebyradiantenergy fromthesun.SincetheEarth’ssurfaceismadeofverydifferenttypesoflandandwater,itabsorbsthesun’s energyatdifferentrates.Theheavier,denser,coolairoverthewaterflowsintotakeitsplace,creatingwind. Inthesameway,theatmosphericwindsthatcircletheEartharecreatedbecausethelandneartheEquator isheatedmorebythesunthanlandneartheNorthandSouthPoles.

BIOMASS

Biomassisanyorganicmatterthatcanbeusedasanenergysource.Wood,crops,andyardandanimal wasteareexamplesofbiomass.Peoplehaveusedbiomasslongerthananyotherenergysource. Forthousandsofyears,peoplehaveburnedwoodtoheattheirhomesandcooktheirfood.

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AES

AES Clean Energy Development

American Electric Power Foundation

Appalachian Voices

Arizona Sustainability Alliance

Atlantic City Electric

Avangrid

Baltimore Gas & Electric

Berkshire Gas - Avangrid

BP America Inc

Bob Moran Charitable Giving Fund

Cape Light Compact–Massachusett

Celanese Foundation

Central Alabama Electric Cooperative

CITGO

The City of Cuyahoga Falls

Clean Virginia

CLEAResult

ComEd

Con uence

ConocoPhillips

Constellation

Delmarva Power

Department of Education and Early Childhood

Development - Government of New Brunswick, Canada

Dominion Energy, Inc.

Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation

DonorsChoose

East Baton Rouge Parish Schools

East Kentucky Power Cooperative

EcoCentricNow

EDP Renewables

EduCon Educational Consulting

Elmo Foundation

Enel Green Power North America

EnergizeCT

ENGIE

Entergy

Equinix

Eversource

Exelon

Exelon Foundation

Foundation for Environmental Education

FPL

Generac

Georgia Power

Gerald Harrington, Geologist

Government of Thailand–Energy Ministry

Greater New Orleans STEM

GREEN Charter Schools

Green Power EMC

Guilford County Schools–North Carolina

Honeywell

National Sponsors and Partners

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Illinois International Brotherhood of Electrical

Workers Renewable Energy Fund

Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico

Interstate Natural Gas Association of

America Foundation

Intuit

Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory CouncilScale Up

Iowa Lakes Community College

Iowa State University

Iron Mountain Data Centers

Kansas Corporation Energy Commission

Kansas Energy Program – K-State Engineering

Extension

Katy Independent School District

Kentucky Environmental Education Council

Kentucky O ce of Energy Policy

Kentucky Power–An AEP Company

Liberty Utilities

Llano Land and Exploration

Louisiana State Energy O ce

Louisiana State University – Agricultural Center

LUMA

Marshall University

Mass Save

Mercedes Benz USA

Minneapolis Public Schools

Mississippi Development Authority–Energy Division

Motus Experiential

National Fuel

National Grid

National Hydropower Association

National Ocean Industries Association

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NC Green Power

Nebraskans for Solar

NextEra Energy Resources

Nicor Gas

NCi – Northeast Construction

North Shore Gas

O shore Technology Conference

Ohio Energy Project

Oklahoma Gas and Electric Energy Corporation

Omaha Public Power District

Ormat

Paci c Gas and Electric Company

PECO

Peoples Gas

Pepco

Performance Services, Inc.

Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

Phillips 66

PowerSouth Energy Cooperative

PPG

Prince George’s County O ce of Human

Resource Management (MD)

Prince George’s County O ce of Sustainable Energy (MD)

Providence Public Schools

Public Service of Oklahoma - AEP

Quarto Publishing Group

The Rapha Foundation

Renewable Energy Alaska Project

Rhoades Energy

Rhode Island O ce of Energy Resources

Salal Foundation/Salal Credit Union

Salt River Project

Salt River Rural Electric Cooperative

Schneider Electric

C.T. Seaver Trust

Secure Solar Futures, LLC

Shell USA, Inc.

SMUD

Society of Petroleum Engineers

South Carolina Energy O ce

Southern Company Gas

Snohomish County PUD

SunTribe Solar

TXU Energy

United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey

United Illuminating Unitil

University of Iowa

University of Louisville

University of North Carolina

University of Northern Iowa

University of Rhode Island

U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Department of Energy–O ce of Energy

E ciency and Renewable Energy

U.S. Department of Energy - Solar Decathlon

U.S. Department of Energy - Water Power

Technologies O ce

U.S. Department of Energy–Wind for Schools

U.S. Energy Information Administration

United States Virgin Islands Energy O ce

Vineyard Wind

Virginia Cooperative Extension

Virginia Natural Gas

Vistra Energy

We Care Solar

West Virginia O ce of Energy

West Warwick Public Schools

Williams