Director's Corner

Established in 2002, Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition (ACFC) celebrated its 20th year as a nonprofit organization throughout the calendar year 2022!

In 2009 ACFC became a designated Clean Cities coalition by the United States Department of Energy and was re-designated in 2022.

 ACFC works diligently to advance clean, domestic alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicle implementation in the transportation space.

Thank you for visiting our Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition (ACFC) page and viewing our efforts to expand markets in Alabama for all alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles.

Many Alabama businesses and public agencies have saved millions of dollars through deployment of alternative fuels in their fleets.

ACFC is fuel neutral and supports all alternative fuels to help reduce our dependence on foreign petroleum; expand the market for alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles; improve air quality in Alabama using cleaner alternative fuels and create economic development (jobs) in Alabama.

Since ACFC’s inception in 2002 and initial DOE designation in 2009, ACFC has strived to be the leading source of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle information in our state….and through your continuing support we have done so.

We strive to do four things exceedingly well:

1. Be a clearing house for information about ALL alternative fuels and advanced

technology vehicles

2. Conduct effective public education and outreach

3. Receive and provide grants for alternative fuel infrastructure projects

4. Work on state and national alternative fuel vehicle policy

The following are just some of the projects in which we are involved that support these four goals:

·         ACFC has continued to co-lead monthly virtual meetings of the National Alternative Fuels Corridor Council to develop signage plans for previously approved FHWA Signage Ready CNG, Propane, and Electric Corridors.  Working with coalitions and state Departments of Transportation, the Council continues to address signage for non-petroleum fueling stations - a critically important need on highways to help drivers identify alternative fueling station locations. 

·         ACFC, as the lead organization in Alabama, for a three-year Department of Energy DRIVE Electric USA grant that is fully developing a 26 state Drive Electric USA grassroots program to engage individuals, utilities, legislators, dealerships, and others towards removing adoption barriers and accelerating plug-in electric vehicle use across our states.  Alabama’s program is Drive Electric Alabama with chapters in Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery and Mobile. Watch for new Chapters in 2023.

·         ACFC is participating in a DOE grant titled Helping America’s Rural Counties Transition to Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles.  We are partnering with seven Clean Cities Coalitions to provide outreach, education, and technical assistance to local county government decision makers to transition their fleets, and fleets in their communities, to cleaner alternative fuels and vehicles.

·         In 2022, under contract to the state of Alabama, ACFC helped facilitate the creation and acceptance by FHWA of the Alabama Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan; ACFC is the State’s Electric Vehicle consultant.

·         At the federal level ACFC continues to support Transportation Energy Partners (TEP) who achieved increased funding for the Clean Cities and EPA Clean Diesel programs and an extension of AF, AFV, and AF infrastructure related tax incentives.

2023 is going to be another exceedingly busy year. We anticipate multiple grant opportunities flowing from the IIJA and other Federal entities for Propane, CNG and Electric infrastructure projects. Plus, continuation of the EPA Clean School Bus program, among others.

If you are not already a member, we would welcome you to join the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition and help us continue our important work in Alabama and the nation. We want to work with all our stakeholders and members on timely projects/proposals that will provide an opportunity to further grow the markets for alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles in Alabama.

If you would like to read our full 2022 recap & end-of-year update please Go To: https://conta.cc/3EdHfE5

Thank you again for your continued interest and partnership in this growth. We hope to build upon our successes with your help and involvement.

Mark Bentley

Executive Director