On Thursday, Nov. 2, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the Marion Arts Center, located at 314 Washington Street, Marion, AL 36756, will host a free workshop focusing on the utilization of alternative fuels in transportation fleets, especially for small towns or businesses in rural areas. The event, titled “Drive Clean Rural USA Workshop,” is organized by the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition in collaboration with Marion Mayor Dexter Hinton. Interested public and private sector fleet administrators, along with their representatives, are encouraged to attend. They will engage in a dialogue facilitated by representatives from the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, Alabama Power Company, Blossman Gas, and The City of Birmingham. Demonstration vehicles that operate on propane and electricity will be showcased at the venue. 4fd0d90d6f26.
Speakers from prominent organizations, including Alabama Power, Blossman Gas, The City of Birmingham, and the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, will discuss the potential opportunities and challenges of alternative fuels, drawing from realworld data. The event invites reporters, photographers, and videographers to attend and cover the insights shared. Government officials, municipalities, and businesses serving some of Alabama’s most rural and underserved areas are expected to participate.
Mark Bentley, executive director of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, remarked, “There are numerous cost-saving strategies related to alternative fuels. Our aim is to provide everyone with the latest information on this topic. Knowledge is a powerful tool, and such collaborations can guide communities like Marion to understand the benefits of adopting domestic, cost-effective alternative fuels, such as electricity, propane, or biodiesel for their transportation.”
The Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition is actively involved in the Drive Clean Rural USA initiative, an eight-state pilot program financed by the Department of Energy. In Alabama, three fleet partners are receiving assistance from the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition and its industry partners. This assistance encompasses free technical aid, fleet consulting, access to demonstration vehicles, and guidance in creating a clean fuel transition plan.
The Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition stands as the primary coordination point for clean, alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle activities in Alabama. Incorporated in 2002 as an Alabama 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the coalition received its designation as a U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities program in 2009 and was re-designated in 2014. It is part of a national network of nearly 100 Clean Cities coalitions that work with public and private sector stakeholders to promote alternative and renewable fuels, idle-reduction methods, fuel economy enhancements, and the introduction of advanced transportation technologies.
