The Alabama State University Hornets football team is going green this season.

In a collaborative effort between ASU and the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (AGI), the Hornets team bus now will be partially powered by used cooking oil that has been converted into a biodiesel fuel.

The “Hornets Football Team Goes Green” program, which will involve ASU’s cafeteria supplying the used cooking oil and AGI converting the oil into biodiesel fuel, was announced Aug. 4 at a press conference in front the Shuttlesworth Dining Hall at ASU.

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“The purpose of this program is to inform the public that the team’s bus will now be operated with recycled biodiesel fuel to conserve energy,” said ASU President William H. Harris, “and to heighten public interest and awareness of fuel conservation and the recycling of commonly used household and business-related waste into reusable products that benefit society and conserve our resources.”

Joining Harris at the press conference were ASU Executive Vice President John F. Knight Jr., Provost Karyn Scissum Gunn, Head Football Coach Reggie Barlow, State Rep. Thad McClammy and a crew of AGI biodiesel experts who brought with them their mobile biodiesel fuel manufacturing center.

ASU officials said the university is proud to be part of this conservation project because it expands the possibilities of finding new energy sources and showcases ASU’s Life Science program, which is working with AIG in this and other conservation efforts.

“We feel that both of these institutions, ASU & AGI, are helping to lead the way by continually coming up with new model energy conservation programs that will set a positive example to the public, advance the study of biodiesel fuels, allow students to study conservation methods, and help make the Earth a greener place to live,” Harris said.

This new program is similar to the initiative kicked off in May between ASU, AGI and the Montgomery Public Schools (MPS). The three-way partnership introduced the “Save the Environment” model program, which is producing biodiesel for MPS buses and other MPS diesel-powered equipment from its recycled cooking oils. ASU is providing scientific expertise for “Save the Environment” and establishing internships for its Life Science students to monitor the program.

A new aspect of the “Hornets Football Team Goes Green” project is that all the fuel feedstock – used cooking oil – will come from ASU’s campus cafeteria, which will power the football team’s bus, said ASU Provost Karyn Scissum Gunn.

“As before, the scientific portion of the program will be administered by Alabama State University, and ASU will provide the technical assistance and the scientific study of emissions and fuel efficiency of the program, as well as assist in the collection of data for further scientific study of alternative fuels,” Scissum Gunn said.

Harris said the university is proud to be part of this conservation project because it expands the possibilities of finding new energy sources and showcases Alabama State University.

“We hope to be involved for years in promoting additional fuel conservation efforts, as well as studying and refining the process of making alternative energy an important part of Alabama’s efforts to aid its citizens and businesses,” Harris said.

Alabama State News
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