Published: September 27, 2008 02:26 am      

‘There are a lot of options’

National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey comes to Fairmont

FAIRMONT — The National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey focused on how people can use alternative fuels in their lives today.

The NASA IV&V Facility’s Educator Resource Center (ERC) organized and hosted the event, held Friday at the I-79 Technology Park Research Center in Fairmont. The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), a program of West Virginia University, coordinates Odyssey events nationwide.

“The primary goal is to heighten awareness of the available options,” Todd Ensign, program manager for the ERC, said.

He said he felt it was important to highlight the exciting work that’s going on in Fairmont and West Virginia. Attendees could stop by a number of booths to learn about the newest innovations in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.

Every automotive dealer in Marion County was invited to the event to show electric and hybrid vehicles that consumers can buy today, Ensign said. A variety of trucks, vans and cars were displayed outside and inside of the research center.

The keynote speakers, who talked about issues related to alternative fuels, included representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, the West Virginia Division of Energy, state biodiesel producer AC&S Inc., and the West Virginia Department of Education’s Office of School Transportation.

In addition, short presentations were given on compressed natural gas vehicles, vegetable oil powered vehicles and conversions, electric bicycles and human power, and John Deere and biodiesel. Visitors also learned about the WVU EcoCAR Challenge team and the Students Making Advancements in Renewable Transportation Technology (SMARTT) Challenge.

The event ended with a mini-workshop, presented by the NAFTC, that introduced people to alternative fuel vehicles and advanced technology vehicles.

Judy Moore, assistant director of communications for the NAFTC, said the National AFV Day Odyssey was started in 2002, and this year marks the fourth set of events across the United States. NAFTC is conducting events at 88 sites across the country.

While many locations will celebrate on Oct. 3, which is the official nationwide Odyssey day, the Fairmont event served as a pre-kickoff, Moore said.

An Odyssey event had never before been held in Fairmont, and Moore was excited about the turnout. She estimated that about 250 people were present.

“It’s a great event,” Moore said. “There are a lot of options, and a lot of people don’t know that.”

Not only did the event help promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles, it also showcased West Virginia, she said.

“I think it’s more appropriate now than it’s ever been, because we’re in an energy crisis,” Al Ebron, NAFTC executive director and national coordinator of the National AFV Day Odyssey, said of alternative fuels.

The event is trying to educate the public about some of the choices now available in the transportation sector. With the high gas prices, the American people need to continue telling automobile dealers that they want vehicles that are cleaner and more energy-efficient, Ebron said.

E-mail Jessica Legge at jlegge@timeswv.com.