As the third day of the 15th national AF&V Conference and Expo in Orlando moves in, industry excellence awards were announced. Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute (AFVI) recognized outstanding leadership in the alternative fuels and vehicles industry. The awardees shown superiority in advancing the use of alternative fuels, vehicles and advanced technologies thus furthering a clean air initiative.
According to a press release from AFVI, eight awards were announced:
The 20/20 Vision Award which acknowledged cooperative leadership, strength of purpose, and a powerful vision went to Mario Cordero, immediate Past President of the Port of Long Beach, CA, and S. David Freeman, President, of the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners. Under their plan, the fifth largest seaport complex in the world is now working with drayage truck owners to replace old trucks that can cut truck related air pollution by 80% by 2012.
The Golden Bullet Award went to Joe Jobe who brought together a national effort to bring the biodiesel industry together to advance the use of biodiesel in our nation’s fleets.
The Green Fleet Award went to Victor La Rosa, President of Total Transportation Services, Inc. (TTSI), was the first in line with alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) to operate in full-time drayage service at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.
The Invention and Innovation Award (Heavy-Duty) was given Michael Gallagher, president and COO for Bechtel Group and Fluor Corporation. Dr. Gallagher showed commitment to the development of alternative energy and environmental cleanup by working tirelessly with customers, industry partners and policy makers on natural gas.
The Invention and Innovation Award (Light-Duty) was presented to Toyota Prius as it changed the makeup of the world’s fleet of vehicles. In an evolving new vehicle market, Toyota has set the bar for eco-supremacy.
The Oxygen Award was given to Blue Bird VISION. The Vision is the first full-size, dedicated propane-powered school bus to be offered by a major manufacturer in the United States since 2002.
The Green Giant Award went to T. Boone Pickens (right) who has pushed national attention on natural gas for transportation as a key tenet in lessening U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
The Prescient Pioneer Award was presented to Mike Scarpino of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program. For twelve years Mike has been on hand to assist the national program and local coalitions as they’ve weathered budget threats, low gasoline prices, and erratic incentives.
The AF&V Conference concludes tomorrow.
A group of experts are slated to speak on the commercialization of biofuels at the 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals on May 3-6 in San Francisco. Speakers will include scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI), the Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) and UC Berkeley, as well as private companies. 
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It’s appropriately named Independence Station because it’s located in Independence, Oregon. But it could be named for the independence from foreign energy sources, as the “world’s greenest building” will be fueled with biodiesel.
Many warmer parts of the world, including the American Southeast, have been cultivating the jatropha plant as a source material for biodiesel. But farmers in colder climates would like to look into the warm-loving, non-food feedstock, too. Well, if everything goes well with research at a Pennsylvania school, they might just get the chance.
State senators in Iowa have passed a standard that would require all diesel fuel sold in the state contain 5 percent biodiesel. The measure still needs to clear the State House and gain the governor’s signature to become law. If it does, the Hawkeye State would become the eighth state in the nation to have a biodiesel requirement, joining Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, New Mexico and Massachusetts, which all have biodiesel mandates.
“Iowa has been a leader in the helping to establish biodiesel as a reliable and renewable energy alternative,” said Joe Jobe, National Biodiesel Board CEO. “Biodiesel gives all Iowans an opportunity to use a renewable fuel made for, grown by, refined by, and distributed by Iowans. This is empowering the citizens of the state to choose to use less foreign oil.” 
The 2009 Alternative Fuels & Vehicles (AF&V) Conference and Expo has kicked off in Orlando, Florida. The industry event represents all fuels, vehicles and technologies that provide an alternative to petroleum including: natural gas, ethanol, biodiesel, propane, electricity, and hydrogen, and their companion vehicles. 
The exhibit hall opened yesterday and showcases booths from a variety of alternative fuel industry groups and automakers. An important workshop was held this afternoon and focused on the untruths of the alternative fuel industry. The session, Eco-Smackdown: Industry Addresses Untruths About Alternative Fuels, included a panel of experts from industries representing propane, compressed natural gas, biodiesel, and ethanol. An overview was given of each fuel and the audience was allowed to ask how to dispel their untruths and negativity, mainly from the media.
Ethanol breakthroughs were discussed mentioning cellulosic, using corn cobs in pilot plants and the efforts to move from E10 to E15. Curtis Donaldson of CleanFUEL USA said, “How great would it be to combine all these alternative fuels and successfully displace 35 billion gallons of gasoline by the year 2025. The group agreed that it will take all the fuels to displace gasoline. Although there are myths and untruths, we are in a transition. This can be done.”
Currently most fuel in Oregon contains ten percent ethanol. The Oregon State Marine Board cites caution for using ethanol blended fuel in boats. They say that ethanol can dissolve the inside of certain boat fuel tanks and ethanol absorbs more water.
Looking for an environmentally friendly way to discuss the power of wind? On May 26-27, 2009,