News & Blog

The Clean Fuels Ohio office in downtown Columbus sits near a retired coal plant, railroad tracks that carry crude oil and coal across the country, and an original manufacturing plant for Electric Vehicles (EVs). In our office hang two old timey posters advertising the benefits of the “Columbus Electric Buggy”, a relic of past industry. As Clean Fuels Ohio assisted the City of Columbus in developing the Smart Columbus application and workplan, I often reflected on the organization’s current role in the advancement of alternative fuels and efficiency technologies, and the impact alternative fuels have had in Central Ohio for decades. In order to examine the city’s place in EV lore, let’s take

The previous version of the Ohio Fire Code required all unmanned public facilities to have fixed chemical suppression. A number of groups including Clean Fuels Ohio met with the State Fire Marshall to urge the change of this rule. Despite initial skepticism, the Fire Marshall’s office researched the issue, met with industry experts and came to the conclusion that a change was needed. The new code requires a fire detection device that is tied into an emergency shut down system and will notify the local fire department. “We are extremely pleased that Marshall Hussey accepted many of the suggested changes to the code,” said Sam Spofforth, Executive Director for Clean Fuels Ohio. “Because of

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission recently announced its new School Alternative Fuel Vehicle program, which was created in law through House Bill 49 and became effective on September 28, 2017. It allows school districts to include alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure into the School Performance Contracting Program. The School Performance Contracting program was established in 1985 to allow school districts to make energy efficiency improvements to their buildings and use the cost savings to pay for those improvements. The program gives districts the ability to borrow funds without having to pass a ballot issue for the authority to borrow. This limited borrowing authority ha

The National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) held its 2017 ANNUAL CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW this year in Columbus, November 4-7, at the Columbus Convention Center. Clean Fuels Ohio was actively involved throughout, using the opportunity to highlight developments in school bus technologies and funding sources for Ohio schools. “The options for school transportation managers continues to grow as are funding opportunities for Ohio schools,” said Sam Spofforth, Executive Director of Clean Fuels Ohio. Spofforth, presented in-depth information as part of a NAPT conference breakout session, featuring an overview of all available alternative fuel and efficiency technologies for school tran

In late September 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a notice that called for comments on a proposal to further reduce the Renewable Volume Obligations for 2018 and 2019 in the biomass-based diesel category of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Last month, the biodiesel industry, citizens, and political supporters rallied together to urge President Trump to keep his promises, and not roll back volumes in the Renewable Fuel Standard. The comment period began October 4th and saw hundreds of responses from around the industry. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) had more than 600 advocates respond, sending comments to the EPA, as well as writing letters to both the EPA and