Solution | Driving Innovation

TEAM DRIVING INNOVATION OVERVIEW

The Driving Innovation Team aims to integrate the full-spectrum of biofuels and renewable energies into the market through racing, research, demonstrations, and explorations. This provides a great opportunity for your company to join us as a sponsor and be a part of making history.

DRIVING INNOVATION SUMMARY

Below the Surface (BTS) Co-Founder and Director of Research & Explorations, Kristian Gustavson just wrapped up a successful year of algae-based biodiesel and diesel testing. Born at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and forged through the partnership with Hessgen Racing, the Driving Innovation Team has created a solid reputation for biofuel testing and demonstrations. In 2012, the Driving Innovation Team set the first official motorcycle land speed records on algae-based fuels. Our land speed records are the only ones to date and were accomplished at the Texas Mile and the BUB Motorcycle Speed Event at the Bonneville Salt Flats. With our fastest time being 96.2 MPH these speed trials helped the team generate momentum for the project, establish some early benchmarks, and become familiar with one of the most efficient and versatile bikes on the planet. The team also had the opportunity to get test and train in Hessgen Racing’s Hydrogen-Powered Trophy Truck and Class 1 Buggy and plans to race in those throughout 2013 as well.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Below the Surface is committed to discovering market-based solutions to environmental problems. Algae blooms offshore are a common issue and the team is developing and demonstrating how we can create renewable energy and other resources from algae while simultaneously cleaning our air and water. The BTS Team has been using biodiesel since day one of formation to carry out expeditions and other projects from coast-to-coast. The search for the most efficient source of biofuels climaxed during Gustavson’s graduate work at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the team has been charging forward since the fall of 2010 to literally ‘drive’ innovation!

The SCORE International Baja 1000

The dedicated, professional race team selected the Dutch made, Track 800cc inline three cylinder, turbo charged, diesel bike as their initial test platform to build their project from for its efficiency and versatility. Due to the current growing availability of diesel within the Algae fuels industry, modern society needs to see what this fuel is capable of and will witness first hand as it is put to the test in a competitive race setting in the harshest environment the world has to offer for a motorcycle. Appling their knowledge of the terrain and years of very successful racing experience, the Track Diesel has been progressively improved and refined to be engineered to survive this demanding race.  Baja is the best way to prove the practical application of this technology of the future and to expose it to the harshest conditions imaginable while still having a very tangible influence on worldwide media. This venue will provide the opportunity for our sponsors to reach millions of people not only within, but also above and beyond just their target demographic. This team has a proven track record and receives more media attention at events before the green flag even drops then the overall winner can expect for their well earned brief moment of glory at the end of the race. The team has also laid out the blueprints to make the first ever algae-diesel powered trophy truck and are securing the resources for the build.

• 2013 Schedule for Driving Innovation:

   

  • San Felipe 250 (3/8):
    http://www.score-international.com/schedule/
  • The Texas Mile: Beeville, TX (3/22-3/24): http://www.texasmile.net/index.php
  • HDRA 250 (4/5-4/7): http://hdrarace.com/
  • NORRA Mexican 1000 (4/27-5/1): http://www.norra.com/
  • Baja 500 (5/31):
    http://www.score-international.com/schedule/
  • El Mirage Speed Trials (5/18-19, 6/9, 7/14, 9/15, 10/20, 11/9-10): http://www.scta-bni.org/events.html
  • HDRA Reno 500: (7/12-7/14): http://hdrarace.com/
  • Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (8/5-8/11): http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/
  • Bonneville Speed Week (8/10-16):
    http://www.scta-bni.org/events.html
  • Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno “The Longest Off-Road Race in the United States” (8/15-8/17): www.bitd.com
  • BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials: Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway (TBA): www.bubracing.com/
  • HDRA Laughlin Race: http://hdrarace.com/
  • Algae Biomass Summit (9/30-10/3): http://www.algaebiomass.org/events/
  • Offroad Expo (10/5-10/6): http://www.offroadexpo.com/
  • The Mojave Mile (TBA): http://mojavemile.com/
  • SEMA Convention (11/5-11/8): http://www.sema.org/
  • Baja 1000 (11/14):
    http://www.score-international.com/schedule/