Projections show that the global gasoline market will reach a value of $2.850 trillion by 2025.
This is a result of gasoline being the most popular fuel on the planet. There are, however, many other emergency fuel types available. Having fuel stored, or having access to emergency fuel delivery can be incredibly useful.
For a rundown of some of the best emergency fuels, keep reading.
Essential Emergency Fuels
Running out of fuel can be a disaster in many different scenarios. Despite this, people are often unprepared for that eventuality and don’t keep any fuel stored for use in an emergency.
Several types of fuel could be incredibly helpful in a tight situation.
Gasoline
Gasoline is the most popular type of fuel on the market. This is primarily as it fuels most cars and other vehicles, as well as generators.
Gasoline is best stored in small canisters. These are typically red for unleaded gas and yellow for diesel. You should keep these in a cool, dark area with good ventilation such as a garage.
Adding a fuel stabilizer will make gasoline last for around 12 months, but it can be easily rotated by adding the gas in canisters to your car, then refilling them for storage.
Wood
Wood is one of the oldest fuel sources used by man, and to this day it remains one of the most useful. If you have suitable firewood stored, you can get a fire going in almost any situation.
If you have a fireplace in your home you should keep it in working order. If you have any heating issues during winter being able to get a fire going is a quick and effective solution. But you don’t want the smoke to back up into your house, or for any debris stuck in your chimney to catch fire.
If you have a wood stove you could also benefit from having an emergency stash of wood. Even without a wood stove or fireplace, having the option to start a fire in an emergency is still a good idea.
Some types of wood are better for fires than others, but in an emergency, you will be glad for anything. It is best to keep wood stacked and covered to keep it dry.
Butane
Butane is a very common fuel for portable or camping stoves. If you have one of these then you should store as much butane as you think you will need in an emergency.
It is usually sold in small cans and typically lasts around 5 to 7 years, so won’t need replacing often
Kerosine
Some types of light sources run on kerosine (also called lamp oil), so if you have a light that does then you’ll want to keep some stored away. In an emergency, a light can be one of the most valuable items you can have.
There are several types of kerosine, so you need to make sure you store the type that works with your lamps. It can be stored in containers much like gasoline, with blue being the appropriate color.
These should be stored in an outhouse if possible and it lasts around 3 to 6 months, so will need to be rotated fairly regularly.
Gel Fuel
Gel fuel is 90% isopropyl and is another type of fuel that is perfect for cooking while camping. It doesn’t emit smoke while burning and won’t spill.
Gel Fuel can be bought in cans that will burn for up to 3 hours, or it is possible to make your own. Unfortunately, it won’t quite do the job if you are trying to warm an entire house.
If safety is a concern the fact that it won’t leak or spill makes this is an excellent choice.
Propane
Also known as LPG, propane is stored in canisters as a liquid and converts into a gas as it is released. It is often used for cooking and heating but even serves as fuel for many vehicles.
Propane can be purchased in cylinders as small as gallons, or you can keep it in an emergency fuel tank up to 1,000 gallons. You can store propane indefinitely, which is one of the reasons for its popularity as an emergency fuel source.
Safety is a key factor with propane as it is highly flammable, and canisters should be re-certified every 10 years.
Coal/Charcoal
Coal is not used today nearly as much as it used to be, but can still come in handy. You can augment your wood stove with charcoal to keep it warm overnight. It is also ideal for cooking while camping.
Charcoal is readily available at most hardware stores and can be stored anywhere as long as it is kept dry.
Biomass Briquettes
An option for anyone trying to be environmentally friendly, and you can even make them yourself. Biomass briquettes are made from waste materials such as shredded paper, nutshells, and corn husks.
They are perfect if you live in an area where wood or other traditional fuels are not readily available and can serve as a fuel source for heating, cooking, and generating electricity.
Access to Emergency Fuel
Sometimes it may not be ideal, or even possible to store these fuels yourself, in which case you might ask “is there emergency fuel delivery near me?”.
If you end up in desperate need fuel companies like Fuel Logic are perfect. They provide 24/7 fuel delivery services, so might be the perfect solution if you are in need.
What Fuels Should You Store?
It may be a bit unrealistic to keep a constant supply of all of the fuels above. Odds are, you wouldn’t ever need to have all of them.
Think about what items or vehicles you have that you would want to make use of in an emergency – those are the ones you want to keep emergency fuel for. Do that, and you might avoid a much larger disaster.
For more articles on the home and risk management check out some of our other blog posts.
