what is the best alternative to substitute petroleum without big effort to modify current machines?
400749
Biodiesel from Jatropha.\n\nUps: It's really cheap, No replacement or modification of your existing diesel engine.\nDowns: Yet to be Commercially Available.\n\nThere are other ethanol and oil based biodiesel variants available in some parts of the UK and the USA. But to use them, you've got to modify your existing diesel engine.
118034
I agree with you, unfortunately the oil industry has a lot of money and well you know how that goes. Currently there are several research and development programs going on relating to alternative energy sources. Examples are Methane, ethanol, and hydrogen.  Keep you fingers crossed that one of these experimental energy resources hits pay dirt.
1144949
Absolutely.  There is plenty of oil, enough to last for 100's of years.  Actually if you look at it logically, we will never really run out of oil.  Supplies will dwindle, we will tap into other sources, like oil shale, and oil sand, but the production cots will go up.  Eventually we will get to a point, where the cost is high enough, to make alternative energy sources, profitable.  Once that happens, competition and the free market system will find a cheap efficient substitute, and we will leave oil usage to the third world.
749652
try it out yourself, but kitty litter is the same stuff they use in machine shops to clean up oil spills.\nthere is your hint on which one is quickest.
534849
Probably alternative fuels.  It would be nice to spend some research and get some other sources to diversify risk.  Right now, if the Middle East embargoes oil, we would be sunk.  If we had other sources, it wouldn't be as big of a deal.
374376
To Prove to the Right People that My Compact, Safe, Low Pressure Unit can Turn Regular Pump Gasoline into Propane. I've already Accomplished it. The Problem is the Fact that all Vehicles from 1996 to the Present are Required by the Stringent EPA  OBD II Law to Run at 14.7 Parts of Air to 1 Part of Fuel, or the vehicle will Fail Inspection . Even if Fuel Economy is Markedly Improved, and Emissions Lowered, the Vehicle will fail Inspection because by Law, there is a maximum, and a Minimum Limit. Deviate from Either Parameter and the Vehicle will Fail Inspection. This is Insane! I've been to the US Patent Office and Looked at the Patents for Other Similar Units that have been kept off the Market.The Pogue Carburetor, which is Patented, is Documented to Provide 100 + MPG with a Flat-Head Ford V-8 Engine, that's usually 15 MPG, or Less! We have got to Reduce Dependence on Petroleum Worldwide, Vehicle Emissions, and Global Warming. That's the Dream , and the "Why". So, How am I Doing? 14.7 to 1 is the Law. I've Managed to prove 100 to 1 is Possible, but it's a Losing Proposition at this Point. For even More,http://energy21.freeservers.com/bookrep.html Hybird Vehicles aren't the Answer.At Highway Speed, the Gas Engine takes Over, plus the Heavy Batteries have to be Hauled.Cheap, Safe Hydrogen is the Answer, but as long as there is a High level of Profit in Petroleum, nothing will Change, including the insane EPA OBD II Law.So, I'm not doing very well at this Point. Maybe with the Power of the Internet that will Change.
197600
try carboncreations.com
1107450
Hardly. Methane, ethanol (not yet for cars but already viable for power plants), vegetable oil etc.  If we really had to stop burning fossil fuel, the current service stations could distribute the new fuel.  One of the problems with bringing out alternate fuels is that in order to 'compete' with gasoline, it has to be reasonably available to people driving across the country.  Distribution is a tough issue for some of the products.
645770
What environment are you in?\n\nWind or hydro might be better options depending on local conditions. also depending on local skills and suppliers. see appropriate technology site
710374
I work for a company called Furmanite. They are a large egineering company for power plants oil refineries etc.. We may have a solution for you.
677148
I used to buy a product from Exxon called Varsol.  You can use gasoline also.
739193
Just pretend there's global warming and here's what you would do\nWe would start to look for alternative energy sources Clean burn fuels to replace fossil fuels \n1. There would be research and development that would create dozens of new business"s in this search. It could dwarf the technology boom of the 90's\n2. These business's would create or boost other business's to partner with, supply parts and services\n3. All these new business's could create thousands upon thousands of new jobs1,2 and 3 would all be good for the economy\n4. We could stop shoving money into the pockets of mega rich Arab Sheiks and oil companies and their CEO's. every time you pull up to the pump you know one of these SO B's gets a cut. It might even scare them into dropping the price of gas\n5. It would take the power outta the hands of rogue country's in the middle east and make them a non factor by making us energy independent\n6.And ............OH YEA we might clean up the environment so we don't leave our kids a filthy sewer of a planet!!!!\n\nSo what would be the drawback about doin this?
86464
I'm afraid there are none such available except by the company that sells it. Try them, or do it yourself.
113522
best bet would be to buy an existing one. the big oil companies don't want independent owners anymore so you would have problems starting a name brand station.\n\nenvironmental issues regarding storage tanks, etc. are also a big hurdle in many areas.
1171490
So far, there's not enough demand to warrent the extra cost of developing alternative energy sources.  In order to stop using oil (for power) we will need to find cheaper ways of getting alternative energy or become much more motivated to do so.
460828
Actually, there are other alternatives.  And they do work.  Hemp is one of these.  But Bush has a lots of money tied up in oil.  So he discontinued the project.  And to make sure that it wasn't;t refined, he also shut down the hemp farms.
1050074
mathanol. a research in the MIT found out a solution for saving fuel. According to them it increases the efficiency by 250 percent than conventional vehicle. Also the engine size will be reduced maintaining the perfomance. also the knocking will be reduced cuz methanol is more powerful than petrol.\nHydrogen will not be an alternative cuz it is dangerous to use it as a fuel. it wouldn;t be in use in vehicles unless and untill a safe unit is not developed.