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Search forBusiness man to tackle biofuels challenge
Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 10:23
Competitors in the Grease to Greece Challenge set off on Saturday to drive all the way from London to Greece in vehicles powered by chip fat, left-over cooking oil, burger van grease and other waste vegetable oil.
James Hygate is spending two weeks trying to cover the 1,500 miles to Athens by begging for every drop of fuel he uses as the rules of the game prevent him from paying for it.
Competitors are relying on the good will of chip shops, restaurants, hot dog stands and even crisp factories across Europe to gather enough waste grease.
The challenge will start at the Ace Café in North London before the teams head off through Europe.
The competitors will pay visits to Germany, Austria, Venice and finally along the Adriatic coast to Greece.
Once in Athens, the teams that make it can look forward to a welcoming ceremony at the British Embassy where they will be presented with the Golden Lard Award.
Cars taking part in the event include a London taxi and a burger van which will supplement its fuel by using the left over grease from cooking snacks.
James Hygate, who runs event sponsor Green Fuels Ltd in Stonehouse, highlighted the purpose of the contest.
"It is a fun event, but it is one we hope will bring more people's attention to biodiesel," he said.
"By teams getting all the way to Athens, we want to prove that biofuel is a cheap and viable alternative to fossil fuels.
"It just means for two weeks, every time we stop at a roadside burger bar we'll be asking for 20 litres of cooking oil rather than a burger with cheese.
"And all the drivers need to take part is a normal diesel car and plenty of cunning."
The participants will be using a FuelPod2, a device developed by Green Fuels.
The technology converts waste into usable biodiesel, which means there is no need for the drivers to convert their engines.
Among the teams of drivers will be eco-adventurer Andy Pag, who travelled 4,000 miles from England to Timbuktu in a lorry converted to run on waste chocolate earlier this year.
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Oil be seeing you: James Hygate MD of Greenfuels, Stonehouse.
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