No BS, a Race Car Powered by Manure!By Brian Lohnes Posted 10/13/09
A British engineering firm called Oaktec is a planning on running a Honda Insight rally car, (yes, we just said Honda Insight rally car) on "cow slurry" in the near future. "Cow slurry" is a polite British term for cow poop. As in manure. As in BS.
More specifically, the engine will run on the gas that is made when the cow pies are fermented in a process that must smell like 1,000 rotting garbage dumps. The team thinks that this could be a major breakthrough for racing all over the world as it would move the fuel source to one that is sustainable. Cows are not going to stop making "slurry" any time soon. Although we cannot fathom what a "slurry plant" would smell like.
FarmersGuardian.com ran with the story and spoke to the team. They plan on having the car out and running on the fuel in less than a year.
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Written by dagenesta
Oct 13 2009
I do wonder if following the car in the article would be like following a rank-a$$ spreader down the road. Curious if they use a similar process and eliminate the smell.
Written by Brian Lohnes
Oct 13 2009
[quote author=studemax link=topic=16263.msg311628#msg311628 date=1255446226]
If you can't imagine what cow manure smells like, then you must be a city boy.
It smells better than pig manure, I'm here to tell ya!
[/quote]
Grew up across the street from Griffin's Dairy. Cow manure is not foreign to me. Fermenting the stuff seemed like it would smell horrific, but Geno says otherwise! :)
Written by dagenesta
Oct 13 2009
The smell that digesters put out is nearly non-existent. They are just starting to become common on the dairy farms around here; we've put garage doors on a bunch of them. They typically generate more than enough electricity for the farm, and the farmer sells the extra electric to the electric company.
If there is a rotten smell coming from the digester, that is the smell of wasted energy.
Written by studemax
Oct 13 2009
If you can't imagine what cow manure smells like, then you must be a city boy.
It smells better than pig manure, I'm here to tell ya!
Written by BangShift Forum Admin Oct 13 2009
http://www.bangshift.com/blog/British-Rally-Team-Plans-to-Power-Car-on-Cow-Slurry.html
Written by 1970NOVASS Oct 14 2009
Now I bet that gets shitty mileage....lol