Eleven years ago, author, filmmaker and alternative-fuel advocate Josh Tickell came to the Capitol in a vehicle that ran on used vegetable oil — the cooking fluid of choice for french fries.
He was back in Sacramento on Wednesday, driving a modified Toyota Prius running on a fuel mixture that includes 5 percent algae-based biofuel.
What transpired in the intervening 11 years?
"More people now know what is possible, that green energy solutions and technology are not just a dream. It's actually possible to end our dependence on foreign oil," Tickell said.
Tickell has gained international fame in the renewable-energy arena through film, books, advocacy efforts and some highly publicized cross-country trips in alternative-fuel vehicles.
In 1997, fresh out of college, he began crisscrossing the nation in a vehicle fueled by frying oil from some of America's most famous fast-food restaurants. He was spreading the word about a then-exotic concoction called biodiesel.
This time around, Tickell's chariot is the Algaeus, which started its transcontinental journey Tuesday in San Francisco. The tour will stop in nearly a dozen large U.S. cities before concluding in New York on Sept. 18.
After that, Tickell's documentary film, "FUEL" will begin opening in cities nationwide.
"FUEL" examines the nation's energy history and emerging alternative fuels/technology that could become transportation staples of future generations.
The Algaeus is Exhibit A in Tickell's vision of a green energy future.
To read the complete article, visit www.sacbee.com.
Comments