Alternative fuels for transportation vehicles: A technical review

Recent petroleum crises, rapidly increasing its prices and uncertainties concerning petroleum availability threaten the sustainable development of the world economy. Both the environmental concern and availability of fuels greatly affect fuel trends for transportation vehicles. The present work aims to compile a holistic scenario of different resources, production technologies, and properties of alternative fuels for transportation vehicles. Detailed descriptions of production technologies and fuel properties would help to refine and further enhance the technologies. While many production technologies have been developed, still more attention is needed to develop an effective, economical and efficient conversion process. As a broad overview of the subject, this article includes information based on the research carried out globally by scientists according to their local socio-cultural and economic situations. The integration of different technologies and hybridization is the demand of the present time for sustainable power generation and economic development. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.