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HOUGHTON -- The Keweenaw Research Center at Michigan Tech is holding its annual SAE International Clean Snowmobile Challenge in Houghton.

The challenge is for students to modify the design of snowmobiles manufactured by Polaris, Arctic Cat, Ski-Doo, and Yamaha to be more fuel efficient with a high grade blend of ethanol. Measurements are taken on how long the snowmobiles last on trails with the new modifications as well as emissions and noise.

Director of the Keweenaw Research Center, Jay Meldrum, says the challenge is more about education for the students than it is about finding new technology.

"It's all about organizational skills and education and technology," said Meldrum. "We're graduating students that now understand what it means to be clean, what it means to be quiet, then they can go on to the auto industry or the off-road industry."

The Clean Snowmobile Challenge runs throughout the week and includes design presentations given by the students and an acceleration contest.