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We held the National AFV Day Odyssey & East Tennessee Fair on Friday, April 2, 2004, and a cold day it was! The Odyssey is a biannual celebration of AFVs (alternative fuel vehicles) that's focuses on getting the word out about how alternative fuels simultaneously help improve regional air quality and increase our energy independence and security.
Although the coalition members, visitors and volunteers braved cold weather and some afternoon rain, over 140 visitors came by to learn about the AFVs that are at work in their community.
We showcased the following AFVs:
Biodiesel:
• The "BioVolvo," runs B100
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park dump truck, B20
• Blue Sky Biodiesel Mercedes-Benz, B20
• Blount County Highway Department brush truck, B20
Electric & Hybrid:
• Fun Buggies GEMs (3)
• Segway Human Transporter
• Knoxville Area Transit hybrid Prius
• Big Frog Mountain's solar-powered generator
Ethanol:
• ORNL Taurus
• ORNL Silverado pickup
• ORNL Explorer SUV
• ORNL Stratus
Natural gas:
• Knoxville Utilities Board bi-fuel F150
• City of Sevierville dedicated F150
• City of Gatlinburg Crown Victoria
Propane:
• AmeriGas delivery truck
• Knoxville Area Transit E450 van
• Knoxville Area Transit hybrid-eletric trolley
Representatives of each of the organizations or individuals that own the AFVs were in attendance to explain in their own words why they choose to drive an AFV.
The agenda for the day is provided below.
Pictures!
Mayor Haslam speaks
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Award to Mayor
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Newspaperman Hayes
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Mayor + media
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Funny interview
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GSMNP truck
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Mark + Teresa
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GSMNP sign
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B20 dump truck
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Blue Sky's B20 Mercedes
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The "BioVolvo"
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Biodiesel discussion
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Solar-powered generator
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3 electric GEMs
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GEM test drive
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Segway test drive
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KAT Trolley and Van
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Warm discussion
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AmeriGas bobtail
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E85 lineup
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E85 Silverado
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UTK's "Evolution" - E85 hybrid
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3 CNG vehicles
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KUB-CNG
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Biodiesel Workshop
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Volunteer
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Wheel of Clean Air
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Preliminary Agenda for the
National AFV Day Odyssey
& East Tennessee Fair
Sponsored by the East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalition
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| 8 am-sunset
| Fair and Registration Area are Open - All attendees are asked to stop by the registration booth to register.
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| 8 am-10 am
| Live Remote - An MC from B-97.5 will be in attendance speaking with AFV owners and attendees live on the radio! The B-97.5 van will be in-tow offering prizes to participants at the Odyssey.
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| 9 am
| Opening Ceremony (under the big top) - Honorary Odyssey Grand Marshall welcomes all to the Odyssey and makes announcements, then introduces speakers that will address regional issues and how AFVs help us improve the quality of life in East Tennessee.
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| 9 am-sunset
| NEV Ride-n-Drive - Join Fun Buggies of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg as they host the NEV Ride-n-Drive! Come try your hand at driving a neighborhood electric vehicle and learn how they can fit into your organization's fleet.
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| 9 am-sunset
| AFV Showcases & Tours - AFVs will be staffed around the outside of the entire Festival Lawn to show attendees first-hand these American fuel vehicles and get your questions answered. In addition, there will be tours that will start about every half hour leading groups around to the vehicle areas (Biodiesel Boulevard, Electric Avenue, Ethanol Expressway, Hybrid Highway, CNG Circle and Propane Parkway) where a speaker will introduce those vehicles and tell how these AFV owners are using alternative fuels in this community. A sample of some of the vehicles that will be in attendance are:
- Biodiesel - B100 Volvo and other vehicles
- Electricity - Neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) from Fun Buggies of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg
- Ethanol - UTK Mechanical Engineering Department's "Evolution" hybird-electric E85-fueled Ford Explorer
- Hybrids - Brand new Prius and a Honda Civic Hybrid
- Natural gas - CNG Crown Victoria police cruiser from Gatlinburg
- Propane - Hybrid-electric propane-fired trolley from KAT
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| 9 am-sunset
|  Carriage Rides! - The original alternative fuel! Take a horse-drawn carriage ride with First Capitol Carriages! For the majority of the day, carriage rides will leave every thirty minutes and will take a tour around World's Fair Park.
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| 10 am-sunset
| Fair Event #1 -- "Wheel of Clean Air" - Contestants spin the "Wheel of Clean Air" to compete for prizes. Contestants can win Odyssey money (or other goodies) or lose turn by answering true/false questions about environmental and energy issues in East Tennessee and the United States.
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| 10 am-sunset
| Fair Event #2 -- "Renewable Fuel Hoops" - Try your hand at hitting some free throws in the name of renewable fuels like biodiesel and ethanol.
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| 10 am-sunset
| Fair Event #3 -- "Energy Independence Frisbee Toss" - Check your aim here! See if you can hit the holes to answer multiple choice questions to win prizes from the ETCFC!
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| 10 am-noon
| GO BIODIESEL! 2004 WORKSHOP ($10 fee) - To be held in the new Knoxville Convention Center, join several guests for a pre-lunch virtual tour of the alternative fuel biodiesel. Meet current users of the fuel and other regionally involved entities and here first-hand about how biodiesel can help your fleet save money on fuel and transportation costs, reduce emissions and help our country become more energy independent. Invited speakers include:
- Parks Wells, Tennessee Soybean Promotion Council - Biodiesel Basics
- Jonathan Overly, ETCFC Executive Director - National Picture for Biodiesel, and a Primer to its use in East Tennessee
- Frank Williams, St. Louis International Airport - Use of Biodiesel at the St. Louis Airport
- Red Roberts, United Energy - Producing and Selling Biodiesel in South Carolina
- Scott Denton, Durham Public Schools - Use of Biodiesel in the Durham, NC Public School System
- Mike Ellis, CEO, Clinch River Valley Group - Overview of Clinch River Valley's Biodiesel - Our Operations and what effect our product will have on the future of Biodiesel in East Tennessee
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| 10 am-6 pm
| Super Cheap Onsite Lunch - Hot dogs with all the great toppings (including sauerkraut), chips, variety of beverages and popcorn!
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| 1:30-4:30 pm
| Alternative Fuel Classes & Discussion Forums (under the big top) - These on-stage events will include regional users of these fuels, AFV experts and ETCFC participants providing background information about these fuels and then discussing the benefits and fielding questions from the audience. The teams will point out AFVs that are on-site for reference, and will utilize Powerpoint presentations to show basics about each fuel.
- 1:30-2:00 - Propane
- 2:00-2:30 - Electricity
- 2:30-3:00 - Hydrogen
- 3:00-3:30 Natural Gas (compressed and liquefied)
- 3:30-4:00 - Hybrids
- 4:00-4:30 - Ethanol
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| 6 pm
| Drawing for Prizes for Registered Attendees - Free biodiesel, free two-hour rental of Fun Buggies vehicle, tickets to regional attractions.
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| Sunset
| Fair Closes
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