A group of French high school students proved that ethanol can be fuel-efficient. According to Environment News Service, an ethanol powered car engineered by French high school students has achieved the best fuel efficiency at the European Shell Eco-marathon 2006, winning the race at the Nogaro auto racing circuit in southwest France. It also took the Climate Friendly prize for producing the least greenhouse gas emissions in the process. The futuristic little car beat out the favored hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to get the energy consumption equivalent to traveling 2,885 kilometres (1,792 miles) on a single litre of gasoline, equivalent to 8,136 miles per gallon.
Manure Powered Ethanol Production
An ethanol facility powered by renewable energy from dairy waste is planned for a large Indiana dairy farm. Bion Environmental Technologies and Fair Oaks Dairy Farms have announced a joint venture that will enable environmentally sustainable expansion of animal agriculture in concert with ethanol production. According to the news release, Bion’s technology platform provides sufficient renewable energy from the associated animal waste stream to produce ethanol absent any outside fuel source such as natural gas or coal, while it directly addresses the growing long-term risk to distiller grains revenues as those markets become increasingly saturated by the continued expansion of U.S. ethanol production.
That’s a pretty technical way of saying they intend to use cow manure to generate the power required for ethanol production. Bion’s research indicates they can create sufficient renewable energy to support one million gallons of ethanol for every 1,000 dairy cows The joint venture will start with a research center to determine the economic and environmental sustainability of utilizing sand bedding in conjunction with Bion’s technology platform. Based upon that evaluation, Stage Two will include a Bion treatment system for Fair Oaks’ dairy herd and potentially other local dairy herds, along with an ethanol plant of a size to be determined by the number of participating dairy animals.
Two Ethanol Companies Merge
Alternative Energy Sources, Inc. has completed a stock-to-stock merger with Beemer Energy, led by CEO Mark A. Beemer and Chief Operating Officer Lee Blank, both former executives of Archer Daniels Midland Company, the largest producer of ethanol. According to a news release, Beemer is a privately held Delaware corporation engaged in the development of “green-field” ethanol sites, the conversion of existing industrial facilities to ethanol production and the management of ethanol businesses. The merger resulted in Beemer Energy becoming a publicly traded company, and Beemer’s management and board of directors have assumed operational control of Alternative Energy. Beemer and Blank bring extensive management and leadership abilities to Alternative Energy Sources.
Then And Now
Just before we got to Cheyenne this afternoon a group of old model cars joined our caravan.
Here’s the GM flex fuel E85 Avalanche next to a 1928 Leatherback Model A Ford. Quite a contrast on this convoy stop.
Pictured are Bill Newman, Wyoming Ethanol and Lloyd Harris, Oak Spokes Antique Auto Club.
Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.
Meet Merrill Eisenhower Atwater
Travelling with the convoy is Merrill Eisenhower Atwater (right), great grandson of President Dwight Eisenhower. Here he’s talking with transportation author, Dan McNichol.
Getting to know Merrill, a fellow Missourian, has been one of the treats on this trip. I finally got to interview him this evening. He’ll be taking a “swing” route with a small group from the convoy through Denver and Kansas City tomorrow while the main convoy moves into Nebraska.
Merrill has political aspirations and judging by what I’ve seen and heard he’s going to be a very successful politician. He’s here not just because of his connection to the man who is credited with creating the Interstate Highway System but because he believes more attention needs to be placed on it and that too many people take it for granted.
Hear more from Merrill: 
Merrill Eisenhower Atwater Interview (5 min MP3)
Merrill is one of the people blogging the convoy trip. You can find a link to his blog here.
Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.
Dan McNichol On Eisenhower
At the Interstate Perspectives symposium in Cheyenne, noted transportation author, Dan McNichol, who is a convoy participant and driver, spoke to the crowd.
Dan talked about President Eisenhower and how and why he worked so hard to create a cross country highway system. To find out how entertaining Dan can be you can watch a portion of his presentation here: 
Dan McNichol Speaks (3 min WMV)
Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.
Interstate Perspectives Symposium
After arriving at Cheyenne, WY the interstate convoy attended an evening symposium called, “Interstate Perspectives.” We heard from highway historians and people who have worked on building the highways.
Well over 100 people attended to learn more about the highway system we’re travelling on.
Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.
Broin Pushes Billion Gallon Mark
The Broin Companies are approaching a milestone. According to a release from the development, production, management, and marketing firm, “combining the production from plants now in operation and those currently under construction, the Broin Companies will push past the one billion gallon mark in annual ethanol production.” As the second largest producer in the industry, the Broin Companies have designed and constructed 23 operating ethanol plants and currently have nine projects under construction or development.
Wyoming Ethanol Visits Convoy
At our morning press conference today, Bill Newman (left), Safety Manager for Wyoming Ethanol drove up in Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal’s E85 GM Avalanche. It was nice to see someone from the ethanol industry on hand. The Wyoming Department of Transportation pointed the vehicle out to attendees and the brightly wrapped truck caught a lot of eyes.
Bill followed the convoy on to Cheyenne after the event. Before leaving though I asked Bill a few questions, including telling us a little about Wyoming Ethanol.
Listen to Bill: Bill Newman Interview (1 min MP3)
Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.
WYDOT Press Conference
Welcoming the AASHTO Convoy Crew to Wyoming today was John Cox, Director of the Wyoming Dept. of Transportation. We had a press conference at a rest stop at 8,600 ft., the highest spot on I-80.
John said he appreciates how the convoy is raising awareness of the interstate highway system and the role it plays in commerce coast to coast.
Listen to John’s comments here: WYDOT Director John Cox Remarks (2 min MP3)
BTW. John mentioned our fortune for the good weather we had (at that moment). It changed. By the time we got to our lunch we had a rain shower and the temperature dropped about 30 degrees. Then just before we got back on the highway the sun came back out and it warmed up again. I guess that’s life on the mountain top.
Domestic Fuel coverage and participation in the AASHTO Interstate 50th Convoy is sponsored by the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council.