Today France supports use of alternative types of energy, which are less polluting the environment. The government supports projects connected with realization of non-polluting biofuel idea. Thus, RATP (independent management of the Parisian transport) actively changes the bus fleet. From 4000 buses in Paris, 700 work on aquagasole, 20 - on electricity, 228 - on gas. The buses working on a biodiesel engine now are actively implemented.
To find out how the use of fuel influences environment, so-called "ecobalances" are made. It takes into account the numerous effects from consumption of fuel resources. If gas fuel is produced in the given country, the "ecobalance" is less favorable, taking into account the fact of "ecological cost" of deposits development and extraction of gas, construction of gas pipelines, production of methane (gas which destroys the ozone level). Use of "net energy", naturally, costs more.
So, the cost of the bus working on gas increases to 38000 euros (cost of the bus on usual fuel about 180 000 euros). It is connected, first of all, to necessity of installation of special tanks for ecologically safe fuel. Also it is necessary to provide equipped stations to provide service for such buses.
There are three ways to produce gas (a mix of butane and propane). The first way: from so-called "gas cap" at petroleum deposits containing mineral pitches, diesel and "pure" gasoline and gas. Then kerosene and propane-butane mix are made from it. The second way: petroleum gas is produced oil recovery. The third way: special distillation of petroleum to produce fuel. Using first two ways gas represents a positive ecobalance, as no additional technological process is required. In the world up to 60 % of gas is made by first two ways.
Renault Corporation produces buses consuming natural gas. Tierri de Solie, the editor - in - chief of monthly Les Routiers, has noted, that " If Renault prefers to produce automobiles on natural gas, this is because all of its researches concerning harmless fuel, were financed by Gaz de France. "
In the beginning of 80s when in Europe was overproduction of oil; the European Union produced the instruction, according to which rapsa and sunflower had to be planted on the ground. At their processing there was received a substance, "diester", which is a basis of a biodiesel - the fuel which is not containing sulfur and completely renewable. Jean - Lui Godeusho, the expert in mechanization from the Institute of environmental protection and use of energy, characterizes a biodiesel this way: " This is a fine alternative fuel - its ecobalance is positive, emission of carbonic gas is small. Waste products from its consumption less pollute the environment, than other kinds of energy. Besides biodiesel can be applied in modern machines without significant changes of the fuel submission".
In France already more than 30 settlements apply biodiesel for buses. And this country is the absolute champion in its consumption in Europe. The last year in EU 570 thousand tons of this liquid fuel was produced from rapsa and sunflower, and 260 thousand tons from it was the share of France.
Author: Nedezhda Paderina
