I attended one of the Alabama BioFuels Workshops this week, and a GM fleet executive was there from Atlanta. He gave a presentation that showed what their focus would be for alternative fuels, and you can guess where the focus was: hybrids, electrics, hydrogen, Ethanol. The question was asked where the diesels in cars and mid-size trucks were in this plan since GM has diesels in the same classes overseas. The exec said that the demand was not for diesels here in the US. The person asking the question said that was because there are none to buy. The exec said that is the chicken and the egg.

 Here is the kicker: Another person asked the question about why had so many E-85 cars had been sold. This exec said because that is what they had been stocking at the dealers, and people will mainly buy whatever they have in stock. Everybody looked around at each other and seemed to be thinking the same thing I was: WELL THEN BUILD DIESELS AND PEOPLE WILL BUY THEM IF THEY ARE IN STOCK!!!!!!!!!

It was a very good workshop and for the most part, I think people were there for Biodiesel, even though a lot of emphasis was placed on ethanol. There was a classroom on wheels from Biodiesel Logic, Inc. They have a well-constructed product, but it seems to be very over-priced. The City of Hoover, AL gave a presentation on what they are doing: E-85 vehicles, B100 (that they produce in a Biodiesel Logic reactor with waste oil collected from citizens and restaurants) equipment, and B20 (that they buy from a supplier because it is certified) vehicles. The state DOT gave a presentation on what they have done: E85 vehicles and B20 vehicles/equipment. AL is also part of the I-65 Clean Corridors and got a grant to help business install E-85 and B20 along I-65. The stations volunteer, and the grants help them get everything installed. The plan is to have the fuels at stations with a half tank drive. This will in turn cause other stations to start stocking the fuels. There is one station at Vestavia Hills near Birmingham, and 14 more all along I-65 between Mobile and Tennessee line before Oct 2008.