AEB for the environment

It is a well-known fact that pollution by fossil fuels is one of the main causes of global warming.

Over the past 50 years, the average increase in the planet’s temperature has almost doubled compared to the former 50 years. Furthermore, during the first 10 years of the twenty-first century, the temperature has increased on average by 5° Fahrenheit. The Earth’s temperature is increasing due to the constant growth in greenhouse gas emissions; these gases trap the sun’s rays within the atmosphere causing the so-called greenhouse effect that causes the rise in temperature.

The dramatic consequences are already obvious: Snow fields and glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, triggering a steady increase in sea levels; at the same time desert regions are expanding, placing the supply of food at risk. There has also been a sharp increase in catastrophic weather phenomena: these calamities inevitably involve repercussions for the human population, especially in Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Even Europe cannot escape these changes: especially in the Mediterranean basin, Scandinavia and the Arctic.

 Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the main greenhouse gas, together with natural gas (CH₄) and nitric oxide (N₂O): the concentration of CO₂ has risen exponentially from the beginning of the Industrial Era to the present. Emissions linked to industrial activities have gone from 0 to 26 thousand million tonnes (and that is only counting emissions derived from combustion processes).

Most of the increase of the temperature of the atmosphere observed during the past 50 years can be attributed to human activities. In fact, CO₂ is formed by the pollutants issued into the air by industries, domestic and public heating systems, and last but not least, transportation. In Europe these are the main culprits for the presence of toxic substances in the atmosphere (especially Ozone, PM10 atmospheric particles and Nitrogen Dioxide), especially in urban areas. It is estimated that over 20% of the urban population in Europe is exposed to pollutant levels above the limit values, with dramatic effects on health.

Unfortunately, our transportation system is not showing signs of going against this environmentally unsustainable trend. The demand for mobility continues to grow (in Italy, for example, during the 1990-2006 period, passenger transportation increased by 21% while goods transportation increased by 32%) and consequently fossil fuel combustion also continues to rise.

Every day, each and every one of us contributes towards damaging the climate by using highly pollutant fossil fuels. It is not just governments who can take measures to replace “dirty” energy sources with clean ones: we can all do something to contain global warming. Our choices can make a difference. But what choice should we make?

The use of Euro 4 or biofuel vehicles does not represent a long-term advantage: the former continue to cause significant pollution (although on a lesser scale), whereas the latter take away resources from agricultural crops causing economic problems in many countries, especially the poorest.

Converting your petrol car to Natural Gas or LPG is the first step towards proving your global conscience. Natural gas in particular is the cleanest, safest and most useful energy source, as well as the most ecological alternative available on the market today. It drastically reduces pollutant emissions compared to petrol and diesel. Tests have proved that it produces up to 20% less greenhouse gas compared to diesel oil and up to 15% compared to diesel. Furthermore, Natural Gas is non toxic and non corrosive; it does not contaminate water; it is not carcinogenic; it is widely available and much cheaper compared to petrol (about a third of the cost).

For almost 25 years, AEB Alternative Fuel Electronics has strongly believed in the potential of Natural Gas and LPG. AEB has always been a leader in the design and production of electronic devices to convert vehicles to LPG and Natural Gas; in 1984 AEB created and registered an international patent for the first timing advance processor.

AEB continues to invest in the quest for new solutions, not only to optimise emissions and consumption, but also to guarantee that vehicles converted to Natural Gas or LPG continue to offer excellent performance.