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Courses/Engineering/Energy Management

Alternate Fuels for Automotive Vehicles

This course presents an overview of six alternative fuels used for vehicles: biodiesel, electricity, ethanol blended with gasoline, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane.

Created byMark Rossow, PhD, PE (retired)
5.0
(16 reviews)
BeginnerUpdated Jan 4, 2025
Alternate Fuels for Automotive Vehicles

What You'll Learn

check_circleUnderstand the physical properties, sources, and environmental impacts of six alternative vehicle fuels.
check_circleLearn about the effectiveness and unique challenges of biodiesel, electricity, ethanol blends, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane as vehicle fuels.
check_circleExplore the availability and distribution systems of alternative fuels for vehicles.
check_circleGain general knowledge of alternative fuels to support planning, fleet management, and policy decisions.

About This Course

This course presents an overview of six alternative fuels used for vehicles: biodiesel, electricity, ethanol blended with gasoline, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane. In each case a description is given of the physical properties of the fuel, its source (what it is produced from), its environmental advantages and disadvantages, its effectiveness as a power source for a vehicle, its current availability (including its distribution system), and any characteristic problems which are unique to it. The course material consists of concise, easy-to-read fact sheets distributed by the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center of the U.S. Dept. of Energy. An engineer completing the course will possess useful, general scientific knowledge of the current state-of-the-art of alternative fuels without having to spend considerable time developing specialized knowledge of each fuel.

Topics: Biodiesel as a vehicle fuel Hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles Flexible fuel vehicles (ethanol and gasoline) Hydrogen fuel cells used to power a vehicle Natural gas as a vehicle fuel Propane as a vehicle fuel. 

Intended Audience: civil, mechanical, and transportation engineers, and would be of particular interest to engineers serving on governmental planning boards or concerned with maintaining fleet operations for a private company or for the military. 

Publication Source: US Dept. of Energy

Your Instructor

Mark Rossow, PhD, PE (retired)
Mark Rossow, PhD, PE (retired)

Civil Engneering faculty member for 27 years

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star3,893 reviews

Dr. Rossow is a graduate of the University of Michigan with B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois. He taught civil engineering for over 35 years, including six years at Washington University in St. Louis and 29 years at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he was the Chair of the Civil Engineering Department for ten years. His areas of expertise are in civil engineering and mechanics. He has consulted for various organizations, including government agencies and an international offshore drilling company. He has published numerous technical journal articles and technical reports for a variety of governmental agencies and private sector organizations. Mark P. Rossow, PE, PhD Licensed Professional Engineer in State of Illinois License No. 062.040560 Dr. Rossow is a graduate of the University of Michigan with B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees. He taught civil engineering for over 35 years, including six years at Washington University in St. Louis and 29 years at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he was the Chair of the Civil Engineering Department for ten years. His areas of expertise are in civil engineering and mechanics. He has consulted for various organizations, including government agencies and an international offshore drilling company. He has published many journal articles and technical reports.

Credit Information

Do these courses count toward my professional development requirements?

This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.

If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.

What Students Are Saying

5.0
Student's Choice
16 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 327+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 29 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.