The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute (AFVI) has recognized outstanding leadership in the alternative fuels and vehicles industry as part of the Alternative Fuels & Vehicles Conference and Expo 2009 in Las Vegas NV.
The AFVI awards honor excellence in individuals and/or organizations that have advanced the use of alternative fuels, vehicles, or advanced technologies resulting in clean alternatives to petroleum.
Among the winners were 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. They accepted the award for their cooperative leadership in which the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angles worked with drayage truck owners to replace old trucks to cut truck-related air pollution by 80% by 2012. They received the 20/20 Vision Award.
The Golden Bullet Award went to Joe Jobe, National Biodiesel Board chief executive officer, for being a leader in the national effort to bring the biodiesel industry together to advance the use of biodiesel in the nation’s fleets.
T Boone Pickens, a Texas oil industry long-time entrepreneur, won the Green Giant Award for focusing national attention on natural gas for transportation as a key tenet in lessening US dependence on foreign oil.
The Invention and Innovation Award (Heavy-Duty) went to Michael Gallagher of Westport Innovations Inc, a developer of advanced engines that run on natural gas and other gaseous fuels. Among other innovations, Westport has been involved in installing alternative fuel systems on Cummins engines.