Encouraging the development of alternative energy a tasks that has occupied the Automobile Club de l'Ouest for a long time.

1980: With fuel prices reaching record highs. The French government launched plan to promote gasohol, meant to encourage the development of substitute products to hydrocarbons. The ambitious goal is to produce on national soil, 50% of fuels used for transport! The ACO supports the initiative, and Thierry Perrier took the opportunity to enter the first road car with a green fuel. Porsche 911 SC, powered by a mixture of ethanol and gasoline finished 16th of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and won Group 4.

1995: Gasohol plan long abandoned, and France is far from producing 50% of its energy needs in the transport sector. This did not preclude the McLaren Racing Team Giroix to stand out from other British GT by use of alcohol fuel made from sugar beet. The car ifinished 5th, which is so far the best result for a 'green' car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

1998: Don Panoz presents the first hybrid race car. The big 6-litre Ford engine is assisted by an electric motor. Huge batteries recharged during braking and returned energy during acceleration. It took more than ten years to see such a KERS System (Recovery of kinetic energy) fitted to a Formula 1 car. The car made a creditable 3.53.199 lap, but the Panoz Q9 unfortunately do not qualify for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

2003: British team Nasamax Cosworth V8 runs on bioethanol. The following year, the same car equipped with the V10 Judd was very competitive. It should be noted that the ACO allows the use of a larger tank to offset the handicap of consumption. It finished 17th at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2004.

2008: Biofuel is generalized for all cars on the starting of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, through a fuel composed of 10% ethanol, and the diesels running on BTL. These second-generation biofuels, made from the inedible parts of plants.

2010: Porsche 997 GT3 R Hybrid joins the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (outside classification). It rand strongly in GT at Petit Le Mans and the 1000 km from Zhuhai. Moreover, for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the ACO have announced the introduction of hybrid technologies in its future regulations for LM P1. Several competitors are interested. PoleVision Hope is the first to unveil a concrete project for 2011.