Canada's Alternative Fuel Dreams

(Ottawa, Canada) In 1995, the Canadian government passed the Alternative Fuels Act which mandated that 75 percent of new government vehicles must run on alternative fuels. Unfortunately, more than a dozen years after imposing the requirement, it's not happening.

Gasoline and diesel accounted for 89 per cent of all fuel consumed last year; only one per cent of cars ran on Ethanol 85, biodiesel, propane and natural gas. About 8 per cent of fuel costs went to a gasoline-ethanol blend, E10. Another 1.6 per cent of fuel costs went to gasoline used in hybrid vehicles.

In a report that was tabled by the House of Commons, the government blames a lack of convenient alternative fuel stations. Reportedly, there are only four service stations in all of Canada that carry the ethanol blend, E85, which costs twice as much as regular gasoline.

Also, chauffeurs for the government confidentially say that they avoid ethanol since it doesn't perform as well as gasoline,

It takes a brave driver to risk stranding a powerful cabinet minister on the side of the road halfway between Ottawa and Montreal or Toronto in the name of global warming.

Some experts advocate amending the Alternative Fuels Act to include hybrid vehicles which seemingly fit the environmentalist formula to save the planet although the gasoline-electric cars' battery performance is as bothersome as the lousy efficiency of ethanol-fueled vehicles.

In summary, Canadian greenie efforts to ratchet the nation into alternative fuels continue to be hopes without changes.