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LPG: An Alternative Fossil Fuel?LPG: an alternative fossil fuel? Liquified Petroleum Gas, also known as Liquid Petroleum Gas or LPG, has seen a rise in popularity over the past decade. This is mainly from vehicle conversions Where the cost of this product is far lower than that of regular petroleum products. Many governments have given incentives for LPG use in vehicles. At present the Australian Government is offering a $2000au rebate on the cost of installation in used cars, which generally covers the whole installation cost. This was done mainly to reduce Australia's dependence on foreign oil.
But is it really an alternative fossil fuel that will provide environmental benefits in the long run? Let's look at the facts. LPG is essentially a by-product of the petroleum industry. As regular petroleum is produced from crude oil, propane (C3H8) and Butane (C4H10) are given off.
These are also extracted from oil or gas streams as they emerge from the ground. These waste gases are collected, compressed and stored in the familiar steel cylinders we see at petrol stations, in our cars and connected to our gas cookers. This needs to be done since both these substances are gases at normal temperatures. 
When these gases are burned, the products are carbon dioxide and water, as with all other hydrocarbons.While LPG may be an alternative fossil fuel compared to those we use every day, it is important to realize that it is still a fossil fuel. From an environmental point of view, emitting CO2 from unleaded petrol or from LPG amounts to the same thing. It may provide a good economic stopgap, but in the long run we need to look into other means of powering our private transport. Battery powered cars and vehicles that run on fuel cells, particularly Hydrogen, are a far more environmentally friendly option. These vehicles are still in short supply though, and the cost of purchasing one of these can often be prohibitive. |
A study by the Australian National University in 2001 showed LPG vehicles achieved 16% better fuel efficiency than similar vehicles using unleaded petrol. Certainly this fact and the lower cost of this product makes it an appealing choice.
