Hot Chocolate Fuel – BioTruck Expedition

Written by Olivia Richardson: 29-November-2007

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Forget petrol, LPG, hydrogen and fuel cells... EcoTec and BioTruck are driving a 1989 Ford Iveco Cargo truck with two 4WD Landcruiser aboard through the Sahara desert (6000km) on 1,500 litres of choccy-enhanced biodiesel. Why? To prove that we can become 'carbon negative' through alternative fuels and carbon offset programs and to also help African communities.

The truck will stop 200km from Timbuktu in Mali to let the Landcruisers out for a run and then they're leaving the Ford truck there to be used by the community. They expect to arrive in Timbuktu on the 16th of December.

All the equipment used has been salvaged from a scrap yard and will remain in Mali where it will be used by the locals.

EcoTec are also donating one of their small-scale biodiesel production units to the Mali Folkecenter to help promote sustainable management of natural resources for local economic growth. They hope that the local women will be able to "recycle their used cooking oil into eco-friendly fuel and supplement their income at the same time."