Photo: Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition’s Mark Bentley at this morning’s press conference in Vestavia Hills. acnatta/Flickr.

Last night the I-65 Biofuels Corridor Summit at Ted’s Garage provided attendees with a chance to learn more the completion of the first cross-country route that allows owners of FlexFuel vehicles easy access to E85 fuel from Mobile, AL to Gary, IN (where events will be held tomorrow evening). One of those stations is the Shell station located at the intersection of I-65 and U.S. 31 in Vestavia Hills. Earlier today public officials attended a ceremony marking it’s designation as one of seven (7) stations offering E85 along the north/south thoroughfare. Drivers that visit that station today, provided your car can run on E85, will be able to fill up on the alternative fuel for $2.85/gallon.

Representatives from Auburn University, Gulf Coast Energy and General Motors spoke about the various methods for creating the alternative fuels as well as painting a picture of the potential new industry that could develop in the state as a result of the ever emerging and changing field.

We’ll have more tomorrow over in our my Birmingham section.